July 25, 2025: As Navi Mumbai gears up for a major upgrade in regional connectivity, the Ulwe Coastal Road (UCR) is emerging as a game-changing infrastructure project for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). Spanning 5.8 kilometres, the six-lane highway includes a 1.2-kilometre elevated stretch, currently under construction by the City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco).
The UCR is designed to link Belapur to the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) at Shivaji Nagar and further extend access to the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA). Described by Cidco as a “mega feeder road,” it begins at Amra Marg in Belapur, runs along the Ulwe coastline, and merges with the MTHL — providing direct, high-speed access to NMIA from Mumbai.
Traversing through growth hotspots such as Seawoods, Ulwe, Bamandongri, and Targhar, the road is expected to catalyse urban development once NMIA becomes operational. A special railway overbridge and an elevated section over mangroves will reduce travel bottlenecks and environmental impact.
Estimated at Rs 1,400 crore, the project includes structural works, road safety features, and ecological safeguards. Tenders were floated in late 2024, with construction now in progress and completion expected by early 2026, in line with NMIA’s planned commissioning.
Officials highlight the road’s strategic integration with the Atal Setu and its potential to relieve congestion on Palm Beach Road and the Sion-Panvel Highway. Cidco has ensured environmental assessments and committed to compensatory afforestation to protect Ulwe’s coastal ecology.
Priya Ratambe, Cidco’s Public Relations Officer, stated: “This six-lane road will be instrumental in the commercial success of the Navi Mumbai International Airport, seamlessly linking it to the Atal Setu.”
Urban planners have called the UCR-MTHL-NMIA corridor “transformational” for dispersing traffic and spurring regional development across Navi Mumbai, Thane and Panvel.
Source: The Indian Express
