Mumbai: The Mumbai Coastal Road Project (MCRP), led by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), is nearing its final stages with 91% of the work already completed. Originally scheduled for completion by May 2024, the project has faced several delays.
According to a recent RTI disclosure, contractor Larsen & Toubro has requested a 181-day extension, pushing the anticipated completion date to next year. This extension marks the fourth delay since the project's inception in 2018.
Civic authorities have acknowledged receipt of the contractor's extension request, as revealed in a response to RTI activist Anil Galgali. The 10.58-kilometer Coastal Road extends from the Princess Street Flyover at Marine Drive to the Worli end of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link (BWSL).
The initial completion date for the project was October 2022. This deadline has been extended three times and most recently to May 2024. In a letter to the BMC administration dated July 23, Larsen & Toubro requested a 181-day extension, citing eight specific reasons for the delay.
The letter from L & T to the civic authorities outlined several major factors impacting construction and necessitating the extension. Key reasons include 'partial commissioning of Stage 1 ahead of the planned schedule, operational traffic disruptions in the right-hand side of the tunnel, lack of permission for heavy vehicles to operate during daytime, adverse weather conditions, including heavy rainfall, traffic diversions affecting site access, issues with existing utilities, a strike by the All India Motor Transport Congress and restrictions on quarry operations.
These factors collectively contributed to the need for the 181-day extension,' the letter stated. Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani commented, "The heavy rainfall in July caused delays in connecting the coastal road with the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. Aside from this, work on the coastal road is progressing. The extension requested by the contractor pertains primarily to additional work related to amenities, such as parking at Haji Ali."
The northbound carriageway, stretching from Marine Drive to the Worli end of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link (BWSL), was opened to traffic on March 12, while the southbound carriageway, from Worli to Marine Drive, became operational on June 10.
This new road has significantly improved traffic flow between South Mumbai and the western suburbs, reducing travel time by 70% and cutting fuel consumption by 34%. The project features a 4+4 lane configuration, a bridge on stilts, an elevated road, and twin tunnels, with interchanges at Amarsons Garden, Haji Ali, and Worli Seaface. The BMC has invested Rs. 13,984 crore in the development of this infrastructure.
