The project will involve reclaiming around 2,298 square metres of sea area and developing a new promenade at an estimated cost of ₹40 crore. MMRDA has already started the process of obtaining environmental clearances for the proposal.
The decision has been taken because a section of the existing Marine Drive promenade will be affected by road expansion work linked to the Orange Gate–Marine Drive underground tunnel project.
As part of the project, entry and exit ramps for the tunnel will be constructed near Jawahar Bal Bhavan on Netaji Subhash Chandra Road. These ramps are expected to reduce the width of the existing road, raising concerns about future traffic congestion in the area.
To address this issue, authorities are planning to widen a nearly 300-metre stretch between the Coastal Road tunnel and Mafatlal Gymkhana. The upgraded road will feature 13 traffic lanes, significantly increasing its carrying capacity.
Currently, the road section near Jawahar Bal Bhavan has four lanes in each direction. Under the proposed redesign, the existing eight-lane arrangement will be modified to accommodate additional lanes needed for tunnel traffic and regular road users.
According to the plan, three lanes will be reserved for vehicles travelling towards Nariman Point along Marine Drive. Another three lanes will be used by vehicles exiting the Orange Gate tunnel and heading towards Nariman Point.
Similarly, three lanes will be allocated for vehicles entering the tunnel towards the Eastern Freeway, while four lanes will serve traffic moving in the Girgaon direction.
Officials believe the wider road will help prevent future bottlenecks once the tunnel becomes operational and traffic volumes increase.
Since part of the existing promenade is expected to be affected by the road widening work, the new promenade will be developed over reclaimed land in the sea. This is intended to ensure that visitors can continue to enjoy the iconic Marine Drive promenade without losing public waterfront space.
The project forms an important part of Mumbai’s ongoing infrastructure expansion plans and is expected to improve connectivity between South Mumbai and the eastern parts of the city through the upcoming tunnel corridor.
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