Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday inaugurated the first phase of the coastal road between Worli and Marine Drive in south Mumbai and said it is an "engineering marvel".
A 10.5-kilometer-long stretch will be opened for traffic in the first phase, an official earlier said, adding that motorists can enter the coastal road from Worli Seaface, Haji Ali interchange and Amarson's interchange points, and exit at Marine Lines.
Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar and other dignitaries were present at the inauguration of the south-bound corridor of the coastal road.
After the inauguration, CM Shinde and other dignitaries showed green flags to the electric buses of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) ferrying women and a vintage car rally on the coastal road.
The work on the ambitious project started on October 13, 2018 and its projected cost is Rs 12,721 crore.
A world-class Central Park spread over several acres will come up along the road, named 'Dharmaveer Sambhaji Maharaj Coastal Road, according to CM Shinde.
He said the coastal road was built using advanced technology and it can be called an "engineering marvel".
All precautions have been taken for the safety of people on this road, he said, adding that its second phase will be opened for traffic in May.
The coastal road will be connected to the Bandra-Worli Sea Link and there onwards it will be extended up to Dahisar, he said.
The 53-km-long coastal road, being constructed till Dahisar, will help the people in saving fuel and time, besides reducing pollution, the CM said.
The coastal road has been named after Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj (son of Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj) and opened on the occasion of his death anniversary, he noted.
A statue of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj will be erected in Worli, next to the coastal road, Shinde said.
The CM said 175 acres of green space is being developed as part of the coastal road project, besides 120 acres or racecourse land. Thus, Mumbai will get a Central Park spread over around 300 acres, he added.
Without naming former CM Uddhav Thackeray, Shinde blamed the previous government for putting a "speed breaker" in the way of the project.
Shinde and Deputy CM Fadnavis targeted Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and his MLA son Aaditya Thackeray over the latter's social media posts seeking to take credit for the coastal road development.
Fadnavis said despite he then being the chief minister, Uddhav Thackeray had not invited him for the project's ground-breaking ceremony.
On the occasion, Shinde also said the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has made a provision of Rs 500 crore in its budget for the Siddhivinayak Temple area development in the city.
A DPR (detailed project report) is being prepared for it, the CM said, adding he has asked to appoint the same architect for the work who prepared the Mahakal corridor plan in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain city.
