A car burst into flames inside the southbound tunnel of Mumbai's newly inaugurated Coastal Road early Thursday morning, forcing authorities to suspend all traffic in both directions and triggering diversions across key junctions. The incident, reported around 9:30 a.m., highlights ongoing safety concerns in the city's ambitious infrastructure projects amid heavy commuter volumes.

Mumbai Traffic Police promptly issued an alert on X, stating, "Traffic movement is stopped at Coastal Road (Tardeo) southbound and northbounddue to a car fire." Emergency responders, including fire tenders from the Mumbai Fire Brigade, rushed to the scene near the Tardeo entry point, where the 10.58-km Coastal Road—linking Marine Drive to the Bandra-Worli Sea Link—passes through a 2.07-km tunnel. Preliminary reports suggest the blaze originated from an electrical short circuit or fuel leak in the vehicle, a common cause in enclosed spaces with poor ventilation. No injuries have been reported, as the driver and any passengers evacuated swiftly, according to initial eyewitness accounts shared on social media.

To mitigate congestion, traffic was rerouted at Haji Ali and the Worli connector, funnelling vehicles onto alternate routes like the Bandra-Worli Sea Link and surface roads in Worli and Mahalaxmi. The diversion caused immediate snarls, with commuters reporting delays of up to 30 minutes on parallel arterials like the Western Express Highway. The Coastal Road, operational since its partial opening in March 2024, has eased north-south travel by reducing journey times from 60 to 15 minutes but faces scrutiny over fire safety protocols, including smoke extraction systems and emergency exits mandated under the project guidelines.

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The Mumbai Fire Brigade contained the fire within 20 minutes, and traffic resumed partially by late morning, with full clearance expected by noon. Authorities are investigating the cause, while the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has ordered a safety audit of tunnel ventilation and electrical infrastructure. This event underscores the need for rigorous maintenance in Mumbai's expanding underground network, as the city grapples with rapid urbanisation and rising vehicular traffic.

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