The central government’s Expert Appraisal Committee has recommended coastal regulation zone (CRZ) clearance for the proposed Nariman Point-Cuff Parade bridge in south Mumbai, bringing the 1.87-km project closer to final environmental approval. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) will still need the final CRZ clearance and other permissions before construction can begin.
Mumbai | September 8, 2026
The proposed bridge is intended to connect Nariman Point with Cuff Parade and reduce travel time between the two locations to about five minutes once it is completed and opened to traffic. MMRDA is developing the project to address recurring congestion in the Nariman Point and Cuff Parade areas, where motorists currently face delays even over relatively short distances.
The project is estimated to cost Rs 588.36 crore. It will begin near the National Centre for the Performing Arts and end at Captain Prakash Pethe Marg. The bridge’s width is planned to vary between 16 metres and 36 metres, while 1,665 square metres of land will be acquired for the project.
The proposal was first submitted to the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority for CRZ clearance. After receiving approval from the state authority, it was forwarded to the Centre for consideration. The central expert committee has now recommended clearance under the provisions of the CRZ Notification, 2019. The recommendation is not the final approval, which MMRDA is still awaiting.
According to the proposal, the bridge design was changed during the planning process. The project was initially considered as a sea link between Nariman Point and Cuff Parade, but the alignment was later revised to run parallel to the coastline. The decision to proceed with the bridge followed recommendations from Comprehensive Transport Study-I, which identified the need to address traffic congestion in the area.
The committee’s recommendation cited the project’s potential to ease congestion between the two localities and reduce travel time. MMRDA has said that no mangrove trees will be affected by the project. Of the 132 trees identified in the project area, 79 are proposed to be transplanted. The proposal also states that 45 structures will be affected by the construction work.
After the final CRZ clearance is secured, MMRDA will need to obtain a no-objection certificate from the Indian Navy because naval permission is required for development work in the area. The authority will then have to secure other statutory approvals and undertake the tendering process before the bridge project can move into construction.
