The BMC is gearing up to open the southbound connector of the Mumbai Coastal Road, linking the Bandra Worli Sea Link (BWSL) to Marine Drive next week. The civic body is currently putting the final touches on the project, focusing on tasks like signage, painting, and lighting. The official inauguration of this part of the ambitious coastal road will take place on Republic Day, January 26, with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis leading the ceremony. Meanwhile, work on two interchanges in Worli and one in Haji Ali is still ongoing, with their completion expected by next month. The southbound carriageway, stretching from Marine Drive to the Sea Link, was opened to traffic on September 13. Previously, travellers from South Mumbai had to take the northbound route via the BWSL, then reach Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan Marg in Worli before proceeding to the coastal road. With the new connector, commuters can now move directly from the sea link to Marine Drive, making the journey from north to south much smoother. The coastal road project is nearing completion, with painting, lighting, and signage work underway. The Chief Minister will inaugurate it on January 26, but the road will be open to traffic the following day, Monday. The remaining work on the Haji Ali stretch (Worli to Lotus Jetty) and two arms in Worli — from Prabhadevi to Bandra and from Prabhadevi to Marine Drive — is expected to be finished by February, said a senior civic official. Additionally, the 7.5-km continuous promenade, stretching from Priyadarshini Park at Breach Candy to the Worli end of the sea link, is anticipated to be completed by May, according to the official. The Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC), located behind Tata Garden in Breach Candy, is also in its final stages of construction. This center will serve as the central hub for managing the entire coastal road project, utilizing advanced traffic management systems (ATMS) to monitor and control traffic flow along the road. The 10.58-km coastal road extends from the Princess Street Flyover at Marine Drive to the Worli end of the BWSL. The project includes multi-level interchanges at key locations like Haji Ali, Peddar Road (Amarsons Garden), and Worli Sea Face. The Peddar Road interchange will have four entry-exit arms, Haji Ali will have eight, and Worli will have six. The Coastal Road project began in October 2018 with a total cost of Rs 13,983 crore. According to the BMC, it has reduced travel time by 70 per cent and fuel consumption by 34 per cent.