Mumbai: Amid recent controversy on social media regarding patchwork repairs at certain locations along the Mumbai Coastal Road Project (South) (MCRP), the BMC has issued a tender for the maintenance of the stretch from Marine Drive to the Bandra-Worli Sea Link (BWSL).
A contractor will be appointed for the operation and maintenance of the coastal road over the next five years. The projected cost for the contract is expected to be up to Rs 84 crores.
The BMC has successfully completed 95% of the work on the MCRP, with both carriageways now open for smooth traffic flow. A 7.5-kilometre-long promenade, inspired by Marine Drive, is currently under development, spanning an area of 11 hectares. At the same time, Tata Sons Limited is leading the beautification of the 5-hectare median along the arterial road, with plans to open it to the public by May 2025.
Furthermore, the BMC is seeking private partners to develop 70 hectares of open space along the coastal road, with an estimated Rs 400 crores investment through CSR. Additionally, a tender for the operation and maintenance of the coastal road has been issued.
“A contractor will be appointed for road repairs and resurfacing, upgrading and maintaining fire safety systems, regular upkeep of essential facilities within the tunnels, general maintenance, including the maintenance of the SCADA system (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition),” said a senior civic official.
He further added that, “We have received bids from five companies expressing interest in developing the 70 hectares of land. We will evaluate the Expression of Interest (EoIs) and select the proposal that aligns best with our vision. An MOU will be signed with the chosen firm, with no financial commitment from our side.”
At present, the work on the Coastal Road is managed by Larsen & Toubro (L&T). Currently, commuters do not have to pay any toll for traveling on the coastal road. The civic body has not yet clarified whether tolls will be introduced in the future. Interested companies will have until April 11, 2025 to submit their bids.
A pre-bid meeting for prospective bidders will take place on April 25, led by the Chief Engineer (Coastal Road), followed by the opening of the tender on April 28. In early March, two viral videos sparked controversy on social media, leading to criticism of the BMC for patchwork repairs on the northbound stretch near Haji Ali, the bridge towards Worli, and inside the twin tunnels.
However, the BMC has clarified that the additional mastic layer visible in the viral footage on the Haji Ali stretch does not indicate any construction defects.
The coastal road since March 2024 has been opened up in phases and still awaits its full commissioning. The northbound carriage of the bow-string bridge, which connects the Coastal Road to the BWSL was opened for vehicular traffic on January 27, 2025.
This new route has been a major boon for motorists, slashing travel time between Bandra and Marine Drive to just 10-12 minutes. The road has reduced travel time by 70% and fuel consumption by 34%, claims BMC.
