Mumbai: The BMC has plans to construct two fire stations on the reclaimed land along the Mumbai Coastal Road. This initiative aims to ensure that firefighters have quick access to the fastest routes in case of fire emergencies in both the city and the suburbs.
In addition to this, the civic body will be appointing maintenance contractor who will be responsible for deploying patrolling and towing vans to monitor two-wheelers and food delivery vehicles that speed on the Coastal Road.
The 10.58-km coastal road, which stretches from the Princess Street Flyover at Marine Drive to the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, significantly reduces travel time, cutting it down from 45-50 minutes to just 10-12 minutes. The project includes multi-level interchanges at key locations such as Haji Ali, Peddar Road (Amarsons Garden), and Worli Sea Face.
In response to growing safety concerns, the Mumbai Fire Brigade has proposed the construction of two fire stations on 90 hectares of reclaimed land, which will also be used for creating gardens and parking lots on Coastal road.
“The fire brigade has requested these fire stations to ensure quick access to emergency locations. The proposal is still in its initial stages, as it requires several permissions. We are working on identifying suitable spots on the reclaimed land for the fire stations,” said a civic official. Given that there have been incidents of vehicles catching fire along the coastal road, having fire stations in close proximity would be highly beneficial, according to civic sources.
Recently, the BMC has been receiving complaints from residents of Breach Candy, and Napean Sea Road, who live near the Coastal Road, about the rising noise pollution caused by cars and motorcycles. These residents claim that motorists and bikers have turned the road into a racing track. In response to these concerns, the BMC is set to invite tenders for the appointment of a maintenance contractor.
“This contractor will be responsible for deploying patrolling and towing vans, which will work alongside the traffic police to monitor and manage two-wheelers. Additionally, the contractor will oversee the painting, signage installation, and the construction of dividers along the Coastal Road,” said an official.
The entire coastal road is set to open for traffic on January 26, 2025. However, the proposal to install 70 speed detection cameras along the coastal road is yet to be approved by the civic administration. So the installation work is expected to complete by May 2025. The new system aims to curb over speeding as well as allowing traffic police to take enforcement action against speeding and other traffic violations.
