July 11, 2025: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has commenced on-ground construction for the northern extension of Mumbai’s Coastal Road Project, with initial trenching work underway in Goregaon. This 1.2-kilometre stretch, which lies outside the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ), forms part of Package B and is currently the only section cleared for development.
The ambitious project aims to create a seamless 20-kilometre coastal corridor connecting Versova to Bhayandar, transforming travel across the western suburbs. Designed to ease congestion in high-density areas such as Malad, Kandivali, Dahisar, and Mira Road, the northern extension will incorporate interchanges, flyovers, and twin tunnels to support complex urban traffic patterns.
The Rs 22,000 crore project is being jointly implemented by two agencies—while the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) manages the Bandra to Versova section, the BMC is responsible for the Versova to Bhayandar link.
Though Stage I environmental clearance for mangrove diversion has been obtained from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), large-scale construction is on hold pending the Bombay High Court’s verdict and Stage II approval. The project affects 8.24 hectares of mangrove forest, involving the removal of over 9,000 trees. In response, the BMC has pledged to plant approximately 1.37 lakh mangroves as compensation.
Once completed, the corridor is expected to reduce travel time between Versova and Bhayandar from nearly two hours to just 15–20 minutes. Additional Municipal Commissioner Abhijit Bangar recently inspected key locations including Versova, Lokhandwala, Andheri, and Malad, instructing teams to avoid working within CRZ areas until all legal permissions are secured.
As land acquisition and regulatory clearances continue, the BMC remains focused on pushing forward with the approved sections while awaiting a green signal for full-fledged development.
Source: Urban Acres
