The Mumbai Traffic Police has urged that the Coastal Road be kept open 24 hours a day during the Ganesh festival, which runs from September 7 to 17. At present, the southern section of the road operates between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m., while the northern section follows the same timings and is closed on weekends. However, with an expected rise in traffic during the festival, civic authorities have agreed to extend the road's hours and keep it open round the clock to ease congestion.
The Coastal Road is currently closed at night for ongoing work on the Bandra-Worli Sea Link (BWSL) connector, and the northbound carriageway remains closed on weekends due to construction. However, officials believe that keeping the road open 24 hours during the Ganesh festival will help reduce traffic congestion on other internal roads, especially on immersion days, which typically see heavy traffic diversions and restrictions.
"Approximately 95% of the work on the Coastal Road has been completed. We do not foresee any issues with keeping the Coastal Road open 24x7 during the Ganesh festival," a civic official said.
The BMC is planning to open the southbound carriageway of the Coastal Road and the Bandra-Worli Sea Link (BWSL) by next week. The 10.58-km Coastal Road runs from the Princess Street Flyover at Marine Drive to the Worli end of the BWSL, providing a key route through the city.