Breach Candy Residents Demand Coastal Road Exit at Napeansea Road Over Traffic Fears
Breach Candy residents in Mumbai have intensified their demand for a Coastal Road exit at Napeansea Road, warning that the revised Mumbai Coastal Gardens masterplan will multiply traffic congestion in the area. The neighborhood's 'Unlock Exit' campaign has gathered endorsements from 145 buildings across Breach Candy, Malabar Hill, Walkeshwar, and Kemps Corner, representing approximately 5,900 households and 40,000 residents to pressure the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for an additional exit.
The push comes after Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) submitted a revised masterplan and concept design on July 17 for the Coastal Gardens project. The updated plan features 11 ticketed zones, a 7.6 km pathway, 15 city-side entrances, and three entry and exit points along the Breach Candy stretch. Residents express concern that visitors will park along local streets due to existing parking shortages, clogging arterial roads and major junctions like Mukesh Chowk.
Local residents pointed out that traffic congestion around Mukesh Chowk has already increased since the Coastal Road opened. They emphasized that without an exit at Napeansea Road, traffic leaving the Coastal Road alongside parked visitor vehicles will overwhelm the locality during peak hours. Residents also questioned why senior officials from the Mumbai Traffic Police were excluded from the BMC’s Coastal Gardens landscaping committee, which currently consists only of garden and road department heads alongside two ward officers.
A BMC officer stated that officials are scrutinizing the revised plan before sending it to the municipal commissioner for final approval. The project has received in-principle approval, and RIL has planted around 15,000 saplings in designated landscaping zones. However, the official noted that no decision has been made regarding an exit road or flyover at Napeansea Road, as an exit route would cut through proposed landscaping and existing amenities. Furthermore, the land required for the Napeansea Road exit belongs to the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), which has been resistant to transferring the property to the BMC.
Residents dismissed the concept of a flyover exit as unfeasible, citing higher costs, land requirements, and extended construction time. Representatives from the campaign stated they remain committed to securing a ground-level exit road and will continue discussions with the municipal commissioner and civic authorities.
