Mumbai, Jun 11 (IANS): Excited Mumbaikars gave a broad smile and a big ‘thumbs up’ as the second phase of the Mumbai Coastal Road (MCR) was thrown open for motorists – a day after Chief Minister Eknath Shinde inaugurated it with a drive in a 94-year-old vintage Rolls Royce beauty.

Scores of vehicles were seen entering the south-north arm of the MCR at Marine Lines and the motorists were pleasantly surprised to complete the commute till Haji Ali junction in barely 8 minutes flat – a far cry from the agonising nearly one hour it took till yesterday.

Many motorists raved about the MCR – officially a mouthful, as ‘Dharmveer Swarajrakshak Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Mumbai Coastal Road’ – as their vehicles sped through the new thoroughfare including a tunnel running under the Malabar Hill and emerging at the new interchange at Haji Ali junction, along the Arabian Sea shore.

The remaining part of the project running up to Bandra Worli Sea Link is expected to be completed in a month or so and the entire phase will be fully ready by October affording Mumbaikars huge relief by saving time, fuel, pollution and other benefits.

A global marketing consultant Pradeep Menon decided to go on a ‘joy-ride’ from his Powai home, driving first to Marine Lines (north-south), reversing at Churchgate to enter the newly-inaugurated (south-north) stretch and coming out at Haji Ali.

“This was unbelievable… I could complete the stretch in barely 20 minutes both ways, plus it is toll-free and on par with similar projects the world over,” gushed an awed Menon to IANS.

Several other thrilled motorists spoke to the media lavishing praises on the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and state government for giving a long overdue and huge infrastructure project to the country’s commercial capital, and how it would even benefit future generations.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde inaugurated the first phase, roughly 10.5 km long, the north-south arm from Worli to Marine Lines, along with the twin tunnels, which proved to be immensely popular with motorists.

The Chief Minister said that the new stretch has been equipped with all the modern amenities and will be a boon as it shall decongest traffic to and from south Mumbai to the northern parts of the city.

The work to link MCR with the BWSL bridge at Worli is also nearing completion and over the next few years, the coastal road will be constructed up to Borivali in northwest Mumbai, with multiple interchanges, big and small bridges, tunnels, etc.