Mumbai News: Mumbai's Coastal Road-South has transformed from a brand-new stretch into one of the city's busiest corridors in just two years. When it opened
in March 2024, around 8,787 vehicles used it each day, said media reports. By March 2026, that number had jumped to 63,003 - nearly seven times as many. In total, 3.16 crore vehicles have travelled the road since it launched. The corridor, officially named Dharamveer Swaraj Rakshak Chhatrapati Shambhaji Mumbai Coastal Road, cost Rs 13,893 crore to build. Its biggest selling point: it cut travel time between Marine Drive and Worli from 30-40 minutes to under 10. Traffic grew steadily through 2024, but the sharpest rise came after August 2025, when the road was opened round-the-clock on Independence Day. The seafront promenade was unlocked at the same time, drawing even more visitors. Daily traffic crossed 45,961 that very month and has climbed steadily since. The road has undeniably eased commutes in South Mumbai. Urban planner Vivek Pai says it has, along with the Metro, fundamentally changed how people move around the area. But he flags a glaring gap - the benefits have mostly gone to car owners and those who can afford private taxis. Two-wheelers are banned on the road, and BEST bus services on the corridor remain limited, leaving everyday commuters largely on the outside. Also Read: Know Marathi or Lose Your Licence: Mumbai's Auto, Cab Drivers Face Crackdown From May 1 The 2016 project report had projected traffic growing at just 2% a year through 2043 - a figure the road has dramatically outpaced. Locals near the interchanges, such as Breach Candy resident Nigam Lakhani, note that while Pedder Road and the area around Jaslok Hospital are less congested than before, the traffic has simply shifted. "Neighbourhoods like ours, where the interchange comes up, are now seeing pile-ups," he said. Commuters often complained about the congested stretch. One of the social media users shared: "@MTPHereToHelp and there is congestion again on coastal road, traffic halted literally. The department is absolutely terrible and not prepared for the traffic management. All details provided at every point where there was traffic. @mayor_mumbai @MumbaiPolice"
Several regular users of the road say that with traffic now consistently heavy, the sub-10-minute run between Marine Drive and Worli is increasingly difficult to achieve on the ground.
