Mumbai: With the official Bhoomi Pujan of the proposed Coastal Road gardens expected to be held later this month in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister, residents of Breach Candy and neighbouring areas are raising concerns over the impact of the planned attractions on the locality’s traffic, parking and pedestrian movement.A community meeting off over 100 people was held at Cymroza Art Gallery in Breach Candy on Saturday morning, where local residents discussed the ongoing and upcoming developments in the neighbourhood, particularly the proposed Coastal Road gardens and the attractions planned along the reclaimed stretch.The Breach Candy stretch is proposed to have a range of recreational facilities, including volleyball courts, football turfs, forest trails, workout pods, butterfly gardens and food and beverage kiosks.While the neighbouring stretch of the coastal gardens is expected to include several other attractions, including sports courts for activities such as padel and pickleball, cycle rentals, a children’s play area, a petting zoo, a toy train, a bird trail and an aquatic display.Residents who have already done an internal analysis of the master plan of the gardens said the scale and variety of attractions could draw significant visitor footfall to the area, potentially putting additional pressure on existing roads and parking spaces. “Bhulabhai Desai Road is already operating above capacity, serving a dense mixed-use neighbourhood with high-footfall destinations including hospitals, schools, auditoriums and the Mahalaxmi Temple. It cannot simply absorb additional Coastal Gardens traffic through three proposed street-side entries,” said a core member of the Breach Candy Residents Forum. Nandini Chabria, a BCRF member emphasised that decisions affecting a neighbourhood must be made in consultation with the local residents and cannot be taken in isolation. “Continuous dialogue, meaningful engagement and collaboration between citizens and the administration are essential to building a healthy and effective partnership,” she said.Nigum Lakhani, another Breach Candy resident, said the meeting was held to make residents aware of ongoing and upcoming developments in the neighbourhood, particularly the Coastal Road gardens and the attractions planned.One suggestion discussed at the meeting was introducing a shuttle service from Haji Ali to ferry visitors to the Coastal Road gardens and other attractions, rather than creating multiple entry points through Breach Candy.The long-standing demand for an exit at Napean Sea Road from the southbound Coastal Road was also raised at the meeting. Residents have urged authorities to expedite the project, saying the exit could help divert traffic and reduce congestion currently witnessed in Breach Candy, particularly during peak hours.Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has been officially appointed by BMC for developing the open spaces along the coastal road on CSR basis.
