The much-awaited Mumbai coastal road project has faced yet another delay due to adverse weather conditions and heavy rains in the city.
The civic officials said that a 15-day window of clear weather is required to complete the balance work. Therefore, considering the adverse weather condition, the entire coastal road may become operational by December only.
As per latest report, the final step of making the road operational include connecting it with the Bandra-Worli Sea Link via a bow-string shaped bridge. The pillars of the bridge are erected on the Arabian Sea and the process of girder launching is being taken up from the sea water.
Explaining further, an official told Indian Express, due to the adverse weather conditions, the tidal waves are very high, due to which the launching of three girders of the northbound arm of the bridge is yet to be launched. The girders for the southbound arm are being launched. However, balance work like bitumen-laying and waterproofing of the newly constructed roads are still pending.
The southbound arm that will link the sea link and coastal road from Worli will be ready by October and the northbound arm will be ready by November-end. Installation of traffic signages, lights and completion of ancillary works may take a few more weeks. With this, it is expected to make the entire stretch operational by mid-December, the official added.
It is pertinent to note that the initial deadline of the southbound arm was July-end, while the deadline for the northbound arm was October.
In addition, civic officials also maintained that the administration is also mooting to allow both north and southbound vehicles to enter and exit the coastal road from the sea link as soon as the first bow string bridge gets ready in October.
The 10.58 km-long high-speed corridor, which connects Marine Drive to Bandra Worli Sea Link, is currently operational till Worli, from Marine Drive. Also at present, vehicles are allowed to ply only during weekdays, between 7 am and 11 pm.