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Hindustan Times

SoBo braces for traffic surge as Coastal Road promenade awaits opening

MUMBAI: With the Coastal Road promenade ready – a date is yet to be set for its inauguration – residents along the coastal edge of South Mumbai anticipate a wave of traffic and parking issues in their neighbourhoods. To discuss ways to minimise these challenges, they met joint commissioner of police (traffic), Anil Kumbhare, on Thursday. Attending the meeting were the Breach Candy Residents' Forum (BCRF), Nepean Sea Road Citizens Forum (NRCF) and residents of Worli. Mumbai, India - June 15, 2025: People enjoying evening on the under construction promenade of Coastal Road, in Mumbai, India, on Sunday, June 15, 2025. (Photo by Anshuman Poyrekar/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times) 'As soon as the Coastal Road promenade is thrown open to the public, and in future when the green spaces on the reclaimed land are ready, cars will flood our neighbourhood,' said Nigum Lakhani, BCRF member. 'There's already an acute lack of parking space.' The residents were, however, relieved to note that parking would not be allowed along the promenade, a challenge Marine Drive residents have been facing. 'The parking situation along the Coastal Road promenade will become clear as and when it opens. Right now, we have restricted parking, so that cars cannot stop there,' said Kumbhare. 'What is certain is that we will not allow parking along the new promenade. We have put signboards and issued notifications for this. Vehicles that break this rule will be fined.' The BCRF had another request for the traffic authorities, urging that they be allowed to park on land being vacated for work on the Coastal Road. They placed this demand before local MLA Mangal Prabhat Lodha, on Thursday. Their request was turned down but, they said, they would persist. The residents pointed out that their parking woes were compounded by cars parked by Breach Candy doctors and patients visiting Candy Hospital. Worli residents too are bracing for a new flood of traffic. 'A few underpasses are planned for access to the Coastal Road promenade from Worli, so we expect this stretch to become a permanent feature on the Mumbai Darshan itinerary,' said Viren Shah, who lives in the area. 'People in cars will stop here randomly, to take selfies.' He also highlighted the problem of speeding cars on the Coastal Road, especially on Sunday mornings. Nepean Sea Road residents had a very different concern. 'We haven't been given access to the promenade, so there's no question of being affected by traffic heading for the Coastal Road promenade,' said Mukul Mehra, secretary, NRCF. 'We have requested access to the promenade but there's been no headway on this.' Earlier this month, the residents had urged the civic authorities to provide access through MSRDC land, behind Priyadarshini Park, along the coastline. Interestingly, this is the same land Breach Candy residents had identified for an additional exit towards Nepean Sea Road, hoping it would ease traffic flow through their neighbourhood. However, MSRDC has refused to allow the BMC to use their property.