The newly operational stretch of the Mumbai Coastal Road Project (MCRP), envisioned to streamline travel between the city’s southern precincts and western suburbs, is facing mounting scrutiny from residents and civic representatives over its emerging impact on local congestion.
With traffic bottlenecks worsening at Breach Candy’s Mukesh Chowk signal, citizens and officials are urging the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to create a southbound exit at Nepeansea Road to alleviate pressure on the existing interchange. The 10.58-kilometre MCRP, spanning from Marine Drive to the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, has significantly improved travel times along the western seafront. However, the absence of a south-facing exit point prior to the Breach Candy junction has caused an unforeseen traffic choke, particularly for vehicles attempting to access Nepeansea Road and Malabar Hill. Local stakeholders warn that without timely intervention, congestion could intensify and offset the benefits of the project.
A recent traffic study commissioned by a citizen group active in the area revealed that more than 60% of the vehicles exiting the Coastal Road at Amarsons Garden ultimately head toward Nepeansea Road and the hilltop residential zones beyond. This data has been leveraged by local forums to call for a strategic redesign of the current exit layout, including the addition of a new slip road approximately 100 metres before the Breach Candy interchange. Civic officials acknowledged that the appeal has reached the upper echelons of municipal leadership, with concerned voices within the urban planning and infrastructure departments backing the call for reevaluation. While the BMC has yet to finalise any redesign, discussions are underway to assess technical feasibility and potential cost implications of integrating a new exit into the existing alignment.
Urban mobility experts highlight the need for responsive planning in megacities like Mumbai, where large-scale infrastructure upgrades can unintentionally impact micro-level traffic patterns. They argue that incorporating adaptive and modular design in road networks is crucial for meeting evolving commuter needs without incurring high retrofit expenses later. Residents also caution that failing to act promptly may lead to more aggressive vehicle build-up in residential zones and side streets, compounding air and noise pollution levels in some of Mumbai’s most historically significant and densely populated neighbourhoods. Such unintended effects clash with the city’s broader goals of reducing emissions, decongesting road networks, and promoting inclusive urban development.
The civic body is reportedly also exploring parallel upgrades elsewhere along the corridor. In a related development, BMC has proposed appointing a government-run aviation firm to carry out a feasibility study for a helipad at the Worli jetty. The jetty—originally constructed to support logistics during the Coastal Road’s marine work—was retained as part of the city’s coastal police surveillance infrastructure. Officials suggest that its reuse as a helicopter landing site could enhance emergency response times and possibly support tourism initiatives in the future. As Mumbai accelerates its transition into a multi-modal, sustainable metropolis, the unfolding case at Breach Candy illustrates the complexities of implementing large-scale infrastructure in legacy urban cores. For now, residents await concrete decisions from the BMC, hoping for a solution that balances traffic relief with heritage preservation and sustainability imperatives.
Also Read : https://urbanacres.in/bmc-to-transform-sports-complex-into-heritage-gymkhana/
Breach Candy Residents Urge BMC to Resolve Traffic with Additional Coastal Road Exit
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