The final segment of Mumbai’s Coastal Road Project (MCRP), a 550-metre Vehicular Underpass (VUP) connecting Prabhadevi to Worli, was opened to traffic on Friday. This crucial link offers seamless access to the Coastal Road, helping to ease traffic congestion and improve overall connectivity throughout the city.A notification from the Mumbai Traffic Police stated that the route would remain open to four-wheelers and passenger buses between 7 AM and midnight.The ambitious MCRP features multi-level interchanges at key locations including Haji Ali, Peddar Road (Amarsons Garden), and Worli Sea Face, with four arms at Peddar Road, eight at Haji Ali, and six at Worli. While most of these arms were opened in phases over the past year, the important 550-metre-long and 11-metre-wide VUP at the Worli interchange had been under construction. This underpass consists of two arms: Arm 3 connects Prabhadevi and Dadar to Bandra, and Arm 5 links Dadar and Prabhadevi to Marine Drive.A senior civic official explained that the underpass, which runs beneath Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan Road, provides motorists from Prabhadevi and Dadar with direct access to the Coastal Road. The official mentioned that the underpass starts at JK Kapur Chowk in Worli and exits near Bindu Madhav Thackeray Chowk. It connects seamlessly to the Worli interchange, allowing vehicles to travel north towards Bandra or south towards Marine Drive. The official added that, in the long term, this underpass would become a vital connector between the upcoming Sewri-Worli link and the Coastal Road, significantly enhancing east-west connectivity in the city.The tunnel, running parallel to Worli Seaface, is designed exclusively for one-way southbound traffic. It forms part of the 10.58-km MCRP, which extends from the Princess Street Flyover at Marine Drive to the Bandra Worli Sea Link.Valued at approximately Rs 130 billion, the project also includes a 7.5-km sea-facing promenade, inspired by Marine Drive, which is scheduled to open by June 15. This public space will feature jogging tracks, seating areas, and landscaped green zones stretching from Priyadarshini Park to Worli.News source: The Free Press Journal