L&T Requests Extra Time for Coastal Road Tunnels

Larsen and Toubro (L&T) has formally requested an additional 181 days to complete the final integration and finishing work on the coastal road tunnels in Mumbai. The construction giant’s current schedule, initially set to conclude on April 2, has been extended as the company strives to complete the remaining tasks. The new deadline proposed by L&T is September 30.

While both tunnels are operational, L&T still faces several critical tasks. The remaining work includes mechanical and electrical integration, which is essential for fully automating the tunnel systems. Additionally, the placement of tetrapods—concrete blocks designed to protect the tunnel entrances from wave action—remains unfinished, and site clearance activities are pending, according to an official statement. In a letter addressed to the coastal road project manager on July 22, L&T outlined the reasons for their extension request. The company cited several factors contributing to the delay, including a directive for partial commissioning of the first stage of the project well ahead of the originally planned schedule. Other cited reasons include operational disruptions caused by traffic in the right-hand tunnel, the unavailability of heavy vehicles during daytime operations, and complications due to heavy rainfall during the monsoon season last year.

Additional challenges involved traffic diversions, local complaints, existing utility conflicts, a strike by the All India Motor Transport Congress, and restrictions at quarries. A Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) official noted that although the contractor was initially given until April 2 to complete the work, resources were redirected to meet an earlier deadline for Phase 1 of the project, which spans from Worli to Marine Drive. This phase was inaugurated just before the Lok Sabha elections, adhering to the election model code of conduct. An RTI activist’s query revealed that while 91% of the work on the coastal road project had been completed, the final phase of the project had already experienced multiple deadline extensions. The project was initially slated for completion by October 12, 2022, with subsequent extensions to May 25, November 26, and finally, April 2.

The activist has urged the state government to avoid rushing the inauguration of the remaining sections until all work is thoroughly completed to ensure safety and functionality. L&T’s request for an extension underscores the complexities involved in large-scale infrastructure projects and the challenges of balancing stringent deadlines with the practicalities of construction work.