Coastal Road to feature massive underground parking hub

Two underground parking facilities will come up opposite the erstwhile Worli Dairy. Pic/Shadab Khan

As Mumbai advances with its ambitious Coastal Road Project, the inclusion of underground parking facilities emerges as a crucial aspect to address the city's traffic congestion and parking woes. In line with this development and to alleviate parking issues of Mumbaikars, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is reportedly going to open an underground parking facility in Worli near the Coastal Road.

BMC Chief Engineer of the Mumbai Coastal Road Project, M M Swami, said, "The underground parking facility at Worli will be open to the public in a month or one and a half months." The project includes four underground parking facilities. "One is at the south side of Tata Garden near Bhulabhai Desai Marg, the second is at Haji Ali near Lotus Jetty, the third is at Worli near Worli Dairy, and the fourth is at Worli Seaface opposite Bindu Madhav Thackeray Chowk," Swami added.

The BMC official said the proposal for all parking lots had received all prerequisite approvals. "These underground facilities will accommodate 1,850 vehicles. The parking facility near Tata Garden will accommodate 250 vehicles, the Lotus Jetty parking facility will accommodate 1,200 vehicles, and both parking facilities at Worli will accommodate 200 vehicles each," Swami mentioned.

He further added that the parking facility at Haji Ali near Lotus Jetty will be four stories, while the one at Tata Garden and the two in Worli will be two stories each. When asked about these parking facilities opening for the public, the BMC official shared, "The parking facilities at Worli are nearing completion, while the construction for the parking facility at Tata Garden has just reached the foundation level, and the work for the underground parking facility at Haji Ali near Lotus Jetty is yet to begin."

The BMC has been facing opposition from Breach Candy residents for the underground parking facility at Tata Garden. Work on the underground parking facility at Tata Garden began last year, with the civic body completing all excavation activities. However, following protests from residents, including the Breach Candy Residents Forum (BCRF), a BMC official stated that construction of the underground parking lot has been halted.

"The residents near Tata Garden are opposing the underground parking facility. They have raised concerns that the facility will lead to increased traffic congestion, traffic implications, and logistical challenges for the residents. As a result, we have put the construction of the underground parking facility at Tata Garden on hold," Swami said.