Mumbai, Aug 14 (PTI) The Coastal Road, being built to cut travel time between south Mumbai and the suburbs, will be extended up to Bhayandar in Thane district, covering the entire western sea-facing line of the metropolis, said Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday.
Goyal met with officials from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) here to discuss the extension of the Coastal Road and other potential measures to ease Mumbai’s traffic.
“The Coastal Road will now be extended till Bhayandar. There will be 4-5 packages to distribute the construction work. Once the entire stretch is operational, it will be a huge relief for Mumbaikars who commute daily by vehicle,” Goyal said.
The BJP leader said he has already spoken to Bhupender Yadav, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, concerning approvals for the project.
“The environmental clearance report for the extended stretches of Coastal Road will come out by August 23. I also held a meeting with Yadav to speed up the clearance of the Coastal Road-related proposals,” he said.
The Coastal Road, estimated to cost about Rs 14,000 crore, will provide a direct connection with the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, reducing travel time between south Mumbai and suburbs and improving the overall commuting experience.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had said last month that the nearly 12-km-long road is 91 per cent complete and the administration had been directed to finish the remaining work as early as possible. Most of the road, between Marine Drive and Worli, is currently used by commuters.
About the traffic woes of people in Mumbai, which has expanded northward as its peninsular shape has limited its ability to grow horizontally, Goyal said he has requested the Tata Group to share their “operational and research report on the city’s traffic”.
“Such a report could play a crucial role in mitigating traffic congestion (in Mumbai),” said the minister, sharing that he plans to involve IIT Bombay as a consultant on Mumbai’s road traffic issues.
“IIT B has successfully addressed issues with Mumbai’s local train services, demonstrating their expertise. I believe their knowledge can be valuable in this situation as well,” he said.
Goyal, who represents the Mumbai North Lok Sabha constituency, also talked about plans for collaborative efforts between the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Maharashtra government to develop a 37-acre plot in North Mumbai.
“A new sports complex equipped with modern facilities is being planned. It aims to serve the youth of Mumbai as well as talented individuals from the rural and tribal areas of Thane and Palghar districts. The funding for this project will be sourced from the existing budget, ensuring that the complex can become a reality without requiring additional financial resources,” he said.
Goyal said he recently discussed with Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, about the allocation of funds through SAI for the development of the complex in Kandivli in North Mumbai. PTI ND NR
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