New 5.25 km long promenade along Coastal Road to be thrown open on Aug 15

Mumbai, Aug 13 (PTI) A new 5.25 km promenade along the Mumbai Coastal Road between Marine Lines and Worli will be thrown open to people on Independence Day.

This is the first new major seafront public space in South Mumbai since the development of the Marine Drive promenade in the 1930s.

The seafront stretch includes green spaces, ornamental and native coastal vegetation, and has been developed as an eco-conscious recreational zone.

The promenade developed by the BMC as part of its ambitious Mumbai Coastal Road Project will be dedicated to the nation by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday.

Fadnavis will inaugurate the promenade, along with four pedestrian underpasses, on August 14 through a video link from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority's (MMRDA) new administrative headquarters in Bandra (East), according to a BMC release.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar will also attend.

The first phase of the 7.5 km-long promenade includes the 5.25 km-long stretch that will be open for people, while the remaining part will be opened in future.

Most works of the project are complete, barring the works in parking lots and open spaces in the reclaimed area.

The new promenade is designed to serve both as a recreational area and a fitness zone, with cycling tracks, shaded seating, and extensive landscaping, as per the release.

The access of the new promenade will be free, and citizens can reach there through new underpasses at four locations- Bhulabhai Desai Road, Haji Ali Junction, Worli Dairy, and Bindumadhav Thackeray Chowk near Worli seaface.

All underpasses include stairways and ramps to ensure accessibility for cyclists and persons with disabilities. Wheelchair access and inclusive design features have also been incorporated throughout the promenade.

The more than 3.5 km long Marine Drive promenade, also known as Queen's Necklace, stretches between Nariman Point and Girgaon Chowpatty in south Mumbai. It is one of the major tourist attractions.

After its first inauguration in March 2024, the Mumbai Coastal Road will be opened round the clock from August 15.

From midnight on Friday, the road will be open for traffic 24 hours a day, instead of currently from 7 am to 12 midnight, the release said. PTI KK NSK