The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has revived its long-pending proposal to build a coastal bridge connecting Nariman Point and Cuffe Parade, nearly three years after the project was put on hold following objections from local fishing communities. The project has now entered the environmental clearance stage, with the authority seeking fresh approvals for the revised alignment.
Estimated to cost Rs 588 crore, the 1.869-km bridge is expected to reduce travel time between Nariman Point and Cuffe Parade from around 25 minutes to just five minutes during peak traffic hours.
Following the Maharashtra government’s approval of the revised alignment in December 2025, MMRDA has approached the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) for permission to undertake construction within the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ).
The proposed bridge will begin at Dorabji Tata Road in Nariman Point, continue briefly over reclaimed land before extending over the sea on stilts in a double-decker configuration, and terminate at Captain Prakash Pethe Marg in Cuffe Parade.
The project was initially tendered in 2022, with Larsen & Toubro awarded the contract the following year. However, construction was suspended in 2023 after residents and fishermen raised concerns that the original alignment would affect one of Mumbai’s traditional fishing bunds.
“The project had to be redesigned after the objections. The revised alignment significantly reduces its impact on the bund, and we have now initiated the process of obtaining fresh environmental approvals,” an MMRDA official said.
Under the revised proposal, the majority of the bridge will be supported on pillars over the sea, limiting land reclamation. Only around 400 metres of approach ramps will be built on reclaimed land, requiring reclamation of approximately 0.077 hectares. Owing to space constraints, the bridge will feature a four-lane, double-decker carriageway with two lanes on each level.
The project will require the acquisition of nearly 1,765 sq m of land for approach ramps, including portions of private land, BMC land, and Mumbai Port Trust property. Some slum structures are also expected to be affected. Additionally, project documents indicate that 132 trees fall within the project area, with 53 proposed to be felled and 79 transplanted.
MMRDA plans to invite fresh tenders after securing all statutory environmental approvals, including clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment. The bridge forms part of a broader plan to strengthen connectivity across South Mumbai alongside several upcoming waterfront infrastructure projects.
Source: The Indian Express
