Mumbai: After the Coastal Road opened, Breach Candy, a posh neighbourhood in South Mumbai, has become a hotspot for traffic congestion. The 'Not In My Backyard' (NIMBY) sentiment is strong among residents, who are now dealing with an influx of vehicles.
Traffic from areas like Malabar Hill, Nepean Sea Road, Grant Road, Kemps Corner, Pedder Road and Girgaon Chowpatty is funnelled through Breach Candy, worsening the situation. VIP movement, especially towards Malabar Hill, has further added to their frustration.
Neil Chen, a member of the Breach Candy Residents Forum (BCRF), while speaking to Hindustan Times explained that their narrow lanes are already congested with shops, schools, and hospitals, and now they must accommodate traffic from other neighborhoods.
BCRF plans to approach the BMC, the Chief Minister’s office and the traffic police to propose alternative entry and exit points at Nepean Sea Road to ease the burden. Chen pointed out a large space between Embassy Apartments and Priyadarshini Park that could host another intersection, a feature that was originally planned but later scrapped.
Residents Facing Issues Due To VIP Cavalcades
VIP cavalcades have also become a nuisance. According to the report, another resident Ajay Gupta recounted being stopped by traffic police for 10 minutes to allow Home Minister Amit Shah’s 45-car convoy to pass. After attempting to stand aside and let the entourage pass, Gupta was fined Rs 2,250 for causing obstruction and disobeying police orders.
He expressed outrage over the frequent disruptions VIP movements cause in their neighbourhood. Vehicles are sidelined, shops are closed and roads are blocked, impacting tax-paying citizens like him. Gupta has decided to contest the fine, calling it high-handedness.
Residents Meet Joint Commissioner Of Traffic Over Issue
The traffic congestion peaked when vehicles exiting the Coastal Road jammed the neighbourhood. Long queues and confusion at the interchange added to the frustration. In response, the residents requested a meeting with Joint Commissioner of Traffic, Anil Kumbhare. One of their key demands was to synchronize the traffic signals at the Coastal Road interchange, which had been causing unnecessary honking and chaos due to unsynchronized signals.
According to the report, the traffic signals were synchronized, easing the situation somewhat by Tuesday morning. However, residents await the full impact when regular traffic resumes after the holiday season. Another demand for a traffic policeman at the intersection has been fulfilled, though only for some hours during the day, providing partial relief. The residents continue to push for long-term solutions to the traffic and VIP movement issues in Breach Candy.
