MUMBAI: From Monday, motorists will be able to travel seamlessly from the Bandra-Worli Sea Link (BWSL) onto the Coastal Road without detouring onto Dr Annie Besant Road. A drastic reduction in travel time will be achieved as the road’s southbound connecting arch bridge is inaugurated on Republic Day by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. The section will be thrown open to the public the next day (Jan 27).

Also, four new interchange arms will be opened—three at Worli and one at Haji Ali. What remains to be completed now includes the promenade, starting from Amarsons at Breach Candy and extending to the Worli-end of the BWSL, three interchanges (two at Worli and one at Haji Ali), median development and car parking lots. Civic chief Bhushan Gagrani said that while this portion of the work is expected to be completed by the end of 2025, work on 70 hectares of open spaces will likely take another two years.
The bridge to sea link is 827 metres long, including 699 metres on sea and a 128-metre approach road. A set of bow arch string girders, weighing 2,400 tons, is part of the bridge. The girder is 143 metres long, 27 metres wide, and 31 metres high.
The BMC is also considering allowing small boards at the entrances of the open spaces to mention the developers of the spaces, but this will require the Supreme Court’s approval, necessitating legal proceedings. This is because the SC has stipulated that reclaimed land not being used for the road must remain open, with no commercial activity permitted on it. On Jan 10, the BMC floated an expression of interest (EOI) inviting parties to develop and maintain landscaping, gardens, and the promenade along the Coastal Road.
Civic officials said there has been a positive response from major corporations to develop these spaces. The Coastal Road, opened in phases since March 2024, is still awaiting full commissioning. On Sep 12 last year, the northbound connector from the Coastal Road to the sea link was inaugurated and opened to traffic on Sept 13. The work on the sea link connector portion of the Coastal Road is being executed by Hindustan Construction Co.