Mumbai: A traffic study commissioned by the BMC amid growing demand from groups of residents living in areas around Breach Candy, Malabar Hill, Nepean Sea Road and adjoining lanes for an additional exit from the Coastal Road at Nepean Sea Road has proposed a different solution: a two-way, grade-separated flyover along Bhulabhai Desai Road instead of a new exit.According to the report, such a link would provide a far more effective long-term solution, which it also says would primarily benefit vehicles travelling from the city’s northern suburbs towards south Mumbai. The proposed flyover is expected to segregate nearly 1,109 passenger car units (PCUs) during peak hours from the busy Mukesh Chowk intersection, improving traffic flow and easing congestion, states the report.It adds that a future traffic-growth assessment would be required to ensure the flyover remains adequate for the next three decades, up to 2055.“Overall, the results suggest there is a significant need for a direct, grade-separated connection to manage this high-volume traffic. The existing at-grade intersection forces commuter traffic to mix with local traffic, creating a major bottleneck,” the report states. It further notes that traffic surveys conducted at Mukesh Chowk confirmed a substantial two-way movement between the two corridors, strengthening the case for a dedicated flyover.A BMC official said the traffic study recommends a two-way, six-lane flyover (three lanes in each direction) as a long-term solution to cater to future traffic demand and prevent the corridor from becoming a bottleneck.The civic body has, for now, ruled out providing an exit on to Nepean Sea Road based on the general consultant’s recommendations and this traffic study. Officials said there is inadequate dispersal space at the location, with the road meeting Nepean Sea Road at a right angle. “The proposed alignment would also involve multiple sharp bends, making it difficult to design a safe exit,” said an official.Officials said an exit would come very close to residential buildings along Nepean Sea Road, raising concerns over noise. The issue assumes significance against the backdrop of the controversy over the Coastal Road’s Melody Road, where residents had complained about noise. Civic officials said they do not want to create a similar situation.Another concern is that the flyover ramp could split the existing landscaped open space, reducing its utility. Officials pointed out that the proposed geometry does not comply with the Indian Roads Congress (IRC) guidelines for a safe exit because of the sharp curvature and limited available space.While the study recommends a 3+3 lane flyover to accommodate future traffic growth, the exact alignment and connectivity options will be finalised only after detailed design and further consultations.The recommendation comes even as residents continue to press for a south-bound exit at Nepean Sea Road. In March, TOI reported on the growing campaign by a group of residents living in these areas demanding an exit that they claim featured in earlier planning stages but was omitted from the final 2016 detailed project report (DPR). The citizen movement, branded ‘Unlock the Exit’, argues that the missing link has shifted congestion on to local roads, particularly around Mukesh Chowk.Commenting on the study, the group said, “The UnlockTheExit team welcomes the BMC road department’s decision to commission a traffic study as an important first step towards solving the traffic congestion caused by the Coastal Road interchange at Amarsons Garden. The study validates what over 34,000 residents from Malabar Hill, Napean Sea Road, Breach Candy and Kemps Corner have been saying all along: Mukesh Chowk was never designed to handle the additional traffic from the Coastal Road, creating the daily bottleneck that residents and commuters now face. We now urge the BMC to make the traffic study findings and details of the proposed flyover public so that there can be adequate public consultation around proposed solutions before a long-term solution is finalised.”
