On February 19, the 394th birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the new toll-free Mumbai Coastal Road Project's north-south portion of Phase 1 will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This project, officially named 'Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Coastal Motorway' (CSMCM), is being executed by the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) from its own resources. According to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's suggestion, the CSMCM will be toll-free for Mumbai commuters. It is expected to significantly reduce the travel time from Worli to Marine Lines, a distance of 10.58 km, from the existing 50 minutes to just 15 minutes. When fully completed, the 8-lane, 29.2 km long grade-separated motorway will connect Marine Drive with Kandivali suburb via the city's western coastal route. This project is the first of its kind in the state and is considered an engineering marvel, costing around Rs 12,700 crore. The idea for the Mumbai Coastal Road Project was first proposed by Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray in 2013, and the project officially commenced in 2017-2018. However, the work faced delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown, which slowed down progress before picking up pace later when Thackeray became the Chief Minister in November 2019. Worli MLA Aditya Thackeray, criticising the current MahaYuti government of Shinde, mentioned that the work had already completed 65 per cent progress by the time their government was toppled in June 2022. He pointed out that the current government, in its eagerness to claim credit before the elections, wants to inaugurate an unfinished coastal road. Aditya Thackeray expressed disappointment, stating that the government prioritizes elections over the welfare of citizens. He criticized the idea of inaugurating a partially completed coastal road for political gain, emphasizing that the city is being used for political purposes. BMC Commissioner I.S. Chahal indicated that the first phase of the project would be fully ready by May 2024, at which point it will be opened to traffic in both directions.