Mumbai, Aug. 14 -- After a long wait, 5.25 km of the 7.5-km-long promenade along the Mumbai Coastal Road will be opened to citizens at 4.30 pm on Friday, which is Independence Day. According to a press release from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, the 10.5-km coastal road, which connects the Princess Street Flyover at Marine Lines to the Worli end of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, will also be opened 24x7 for vehicular traffic from Friday. Ready since mid-July but awaiting an official inauguration, the coastal road promenade is being opened in phases. On Friday, two stretches-from Priyadarshini Park to Haji Ali and from Baroda Palace to Worli-measuring 5.25 km in total, will be opened for pedestrians and cyclists. The promenade will be accessible by four pedestrian underpasses (PUPs)-at Bindumadhav Thackeray Chowk in Worli, the Worli Dairy School at Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan Marg, the Haji Ali junction and through the Akriti parking lot at Bhulabhai Desai Marg. The PUPs will have stairs and ramps to allow for wheelchair access and for cycles, as will the entire stretch of the promenade. A dedicated cycling track runs along the full length of the promenade, with cycle stands placed at designated points. The area has been developed with public amenities such as benches, litter bins, trees, bio-toilets, and drinking water facilities. Additional toilet blocks are also proposed near the park areas adjacent to the PUPs. The promenade will be officially inaugurated online on Thursday by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, his deputies Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, Union minister Piyush Goyal, and municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, among others. The official opening was initially slated for June 15, but was repeatedly delayed. While the entire promenade is 7.5 km long and has 19 PUPs, only 5.25 km and the four PUPS will be opened for now. This is because a patch near Poonam Chambers is yet to be built....