Coastal Road: BMC constructing 550-m-long underpass for south-bound vehicles

From Worli Seaface to Worli interchange; benefit south-bound vehicles going from Prabhadevi or Worli towards Nariman Point

The construction of this tunnel is currently underway and civic officials said that it will become operational by October end. (File Photo)

As part of the Mumbai Coastal Road Project (MCRP), the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is building a vehicular underpass that will facilitate south-bound vehicles travelling from Prabhadevi or Worli towards Nariman Point.

The underpass will be 550-metres long and will extend between the Worli Seaface and Worli interchange of the coastal road, catering to only south-bound vehicles. This will also be the second underground road of the MCRP, apart from the 2-km-long undersea tunnels that run between Marine Drive and Priyadarshini Park (PDP).

According to the BMC’s plan, the entry point of the underpass would be near the JK Kapur Chowk in Worli and the exit point would be near the vehicular interchange at Bindu Madhav Thackeray Chowk near the seaface.

“The tunnel will cater to only south-bound traffic and motorists, those who are travelling from Prabhadevi or Worli will be able to switch to the coastal road by taking the tunnel from JK Kapur Chowk, the exit points will connect with two arms of the Worli interchange. One will allow motorists to take the Bandra Worli Sea Link (BWSL), and the other will drop them at the main south-bound carriageway of MCRP that will allow them to move towards Nariman Point,” said an official.

The construction of this tunnel is currently underway and civic officials said that it will become operational by October end. At present the coastal road is partially operational to only south-bound traffic between 8 am and 8 pm on weekdays, and the civic authorities have said that the second phase of MCRP will become operational by May 2024.

“One of the key advantages of this underpass is going to be that vehicles getting down from Sewri-Worli connector can easily take this underpass, which will give them direct access towards western suburbs or southern tip of Mumbai through the coastal road and will eventually cut down travel time significantly,” the official said.

The underpass is being built by using the conventional Austrian tunneling method and it will run below the Khan Abdu Gaffar Khan Road, parallel to the Worli Seaface. The Rs 13,000 crore MCRP will be 10.58-km long and will have three vehicular interchanges that will allow motorists to enter and exit the coastal road from the mainland.

Pratip Acharya

Pratip Acharya is a seasoned journalist based in Mumbai reporting for The Indian Express. With a career spanning over a decade, his work demonstrates strong Expertise and Authority in critical urban issues, civic affairs, and electoral politics across Eastern and Western India. Expertise & Authority Current Role: Journalist, The Indian Express (IE), reporting from Mumbai. Core Authority: Pratip's reporting focuses sharply on local democracy and development, specializing in: Urban Governance and Civic Affairs: Providing in-depth analysis of municipal decision-making, city planning, and local infrastructure, essential for informed urban reporting. City Politics and Environment: Covering the political dynamics of Mumbai and surrounding areas, alongside critical environmental challenges impacting the metro region. Electoral Coverage (High-Stakes Experience): He has extensive experience in high-stakes political reporting, having covered major elections, establishing his Trustworthiness in political analysis: National: Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and 2019. State: West Bengal Assembly elections in 2016 and Maharashtra Assembly elections in 2019. Major Assignments (Ground Reporting): Pratip demonstrated commitment during crises by conducting ground reporting throughout the Covid-19 pandemic since its breakout in 2020, offering first-hand accounts and analysis of the public health crisis. Experience Extensive Experience: Starting his career in 2014, Pratip has built his foundation across multiple prominent English dailies: Started at The Times of India in Kolkata (2014). Relocated to Mumbai (2016) and worked with The Free Press Journal and Hindustan Times before joining The Indian Express. Pratip Acharya's diverse experience across major publications, coupled with his specialized focus on the intricate details of urban governance and a track record of covering major electoral and health crises, establishes him as a trusted and authoritative source for news from India's critical metropolitan centres. ... Read More

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