He was briefed by Additional Municipal Commissioner Abhijit Bangar on the status, timelines and expected public benefits of the coastal and connectivity projects. The review covered the Mumbai Coastal Road, a proposed desalination plant, the Madh-Versova Bridge and other measures to improve access across the western suburbs. Officials outlined steps taken to secure clearances and to commence work on the Versova-Bhayander stretch.
The Coastal Road is an eight-lane high-speed expressway being built along Mumbai’s western coast and is intended to cut travel time between south Mumbai and the suburbs from two hours down to 40 minutes. Officials said planned interchanges and a tunnel network in north Mumbai will relieve congestion on the Western Express Highway and provide faster east-west movement across the western suburbs. Work on the Bandra-Versova stretch is advancing rapidly and construction on the Versova-Bhayander section has commenced after necessary approvals were secured. Project managers described traffic modelling and environmental mitigation measures designed to protect local livelihoods and coastal ecology.
Goyal highlighted that the proposed desalination plant would bolster long-term water security by supplying drinking water to Gorai, Manori, Mahavir Nagar, Borivali, Charkop and surrounding areas. He said concerns of the fishing community were being addressed through project planning to avoid harm to traditional livelihoods. The minister urged coordination between municipal agencies, state departments and contractors to meet the December 2028 completion aim with March 2029 as a contingency date.