Mumbai’s Coastal Road: ₹200 Crore Annual Burden on BMC
• Coastal Road Maintenance to Cost BMC a Fortune!
• Coastal Road Upkeep Woes
Unmesh Gujarathi
Sprouts News Exclusive
The ambitious Mumbai Coastal Road project, aimed at improving the city’s traffic flow, is set to become a significant financial burden for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The project’s maintenance is expected to cost the civic body a staggering ₹200 crore annually, according to Sprouts News sources.
• Full Responsibility on BMC
The 10.58 km long coastal road stretches from Princess Street Flyover in South Mumbai to the Worli end of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. While the road has been fully opened for public use, its upkeep will gradually fall under BMC’s purview.
Currently, the project is under a two-year warranty period, during which the contractor is responsible for maintenance. However, once this period ends, the entire responsibility will shift to the BMC. In preparation, the civic body has already floated a ₹84 crore maintenance tender for works not covered under the warranty. After 2026-27, the estimated annual maintenance cost is expected to rise to ₹150-200 crore, as per municipal sources cited by Sprouts News.
• Electricity Bills Alone to Cost ₹10 Crore Annually
During the warranty period, the construction and electrical systems are covered, but post-warranty, BMC will have to bear all costs, including:
– Cleaning and upkeep of the road
– Electricity bills, expected to be ₹10 crore per year
– Maintenance of the SCADA system for tunnel ventilation
– Fire safety systems and CCTV surveillance
– Staffing and operational expenses
• Phased Warranty Period for Different Sections
The Coastal Road project was executed in three phases, each with a different warranty period. Some parts of the project have warranty coverage until September 2026, while others extend up to May 2027.
• Mega Projects and Rising Maintenance Costs
BMC has undertaken several large-scale infrastructure projects in recent years, especially during the administrator-led governance period. These include:
– Goregaon-Mulund Link Road
– Versova-Dahisar Coastal Road
– Dahisar-Bhayandar Elevated Corridor
Each of these projects will require significant maintenance funding in the coming years, further straining the civic body’s finances.
Also Read: Ghatkopar Suffocates Again as as Illegal Hawkers Occupy Roads.
• Expert Opinion
“Mega infrastructure projects like the Coastal Road, Metro, and Monorail are launched without thorough planning on their long-term sustainability. The key question is whether they will be used effectively or become financial liabilities. Earlier, a toll was proposed for the Coastal Road, which could have helped recover costs.”
— Ashok Datar, Transport Expert
According to Sprouts News, with the rising financial burden, BMC will have to strategize its resources efficiently to ensure the Coastal Road remains well-maintained without draining public funds.