CM Fadnavis Reviews Mumbai North Coastal Road Work at Lokhandwala
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday, June 14, 2026, inspected the progress of the Mumbai Coastal Road Project (North) at the Lokhandwala Rotary Millatnagar Nursery site under Package-A, reviewing plans for a major three-level interchange in the western suburb.
What Was Inspected
The Chief Minister's Office of Maharashtra confirmed that CM Fadnavis conducted a site review at Lokhandwala, where the second major interchange of the North Coastal Road project is to be built after the Madh Interchange. The area currently sees four major roads converging, making it a critical node for western Mumbai's traffic grid.
The proposed interchange will feature three traffic levels — ground level, first level, and second level (Coastal Road level) — modelled on the design of the well-known Worli Interchange. The entire zone is planned to be signal-free, a design priority that mirrors the approach taken on earlier Mumbai road modernisation projects.
Context
The Mumbai Coastal Road Project has been one of Maharashtra's flagship urban infrastructure undertakings, with environmental clearances and state approvals granted in phases from 2015 onward. The southern sections of the project were opened to commuters in 2023–24, and the northern extension — of which Package-A at Lokhandwala is a part — is now under active construction review.
The Lokhandwala interchange will also integrate the work on the Bhagatsingh Nagar Bridge, consolidating multiple infrastructure components into a single, multi-level junction. A proposed National Law Institute in the vicinity is to receive direct access and exit ramps from the Coastal Road as part of the plan.
Policy Backdrop
Maharashtra's approach to the North Coastal Road follows an established template: replicating the multi-level, signal-free design of the Worli Interchange at complex traffic nodes across Mumbai. This strategy aims to reduce friction at points where arterial roads, redevelopment zones, and institutional access requirements intersect.
The Lokhandwala interchange is specifically designed to absorb future traffic pressure from the redevelopment areas of Motilal Nagar, Waghuranagar, and surrounding localities, channelling that load away from the already-strained Link Road. This forward-looking integration of redevelopment-zone traffic is a recurring feature of Mumbai's road planning under the current administration.
Stakeholders and Impact
Western suburb residents, daily commuters on Link Road, and future students and staff of the proposed National Law Institute stand to benefit directly from the interchange's completion. Redevelopment project residents in Motilal Nagar and Waghuranagar will gain improved road access without adding to Link Road congestion.
Present at the site inspection were Minister Adv. Ashish Shelar, MLA Ameet Satam, Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde, Deputy Mayor Sanjay Ghadi, and senior officials from the relevant departments.
What's Next
The completion timeline for Package-A and the remaining North Coastal Road packages will be closely watched, as will the project's integration with metro rail lines and ongoing redevelopment plans in adjacent wards. The signal-free corridor ambition at Lokhandwala will be a key benchmark for how effectively the North Coastal Road can replicate the success of its southern counterpart.