Shinde also inspected the construction work ongoing at the Mumbai coastal road and said that the work on phase one of the project i.e. the road going from Worli to Marine Drive will be completed by January 31 and thereafter would be opened up to motorists. Civic officials said that the road is likely to be opened up by February 2024.
The remaining part of the road would be opened up by May 2024, said the CM. The Rs 12,721 crore project works which began around November 2018 were to be partly completed in November 2023. There was a design change owing to resistance from the Worli fisherfolk and hence the final leg of the project would be completed by May 2024.
Further, he also added that as proposed initially the road will be toll-free. This comes despite BMC’s recent plans to consider a toll for motorists. The CM’s announcement for a toll-free road comes following opposition from several political parties like Shiv Sena, Samajwadi and AAP-Mumbai unit who said that the road is built using Mumbaikar’s taxes and that the move to reverse earlier decision would be opposed. “By January 31 one phase of the road would be completed giving great relief to motorists whom we see are hassled in the peak hour traffic,” said Shinde.
