Mumbai: The first phase of the much-anticipated coastal road project in Mumbai is nearing completion, announced Industries Minister Uday Samant. The coastal road project will boost connectivity between Worli and Marine Drive by reducing the travel time to just eight minutes. 

According to Minister Samant, the first phase of the coastal road will be accessible to the public in eight days. The 10.58-kilometre long stretch of the project runs from the Princess Street flyover at Marine Drive to the Worli-end of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link.

With the inauguration of the stretch, the travel time is expected to be reduced by 70 per cent and thus the fuel consumption will decrease by 34 per cent. This stretch comprises road sections built on reclaimed land, bridges, twin tunnels, and three interchanges. It is anticipated that vehicles will be allowed to travel at speeds of around 80 kilometres per hour along the stretch. 

In 2011, the concept of the coastal road was conceived by the then Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan as an alternative to the comparatively expensive sea link project. According to media reports, the project was initiated by the BJP-Shiv Sena government. 

Earlier, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had personally reviewed the project's progress at Priyadarshini Park in January and had said that it would be completed by January 31. The road project has missed deadlines multiple times with February 19 being the last one. 

The opening of the first phase of the coastal road project will bring huge relief to commuters travelling through this busy route.