Breach Candy residents call attention to Coastal Road project concerns

The entry/exit for the Coastal Road is proposed next to one of Priyadarshini Park's gates and Embassy Apartments' building

A section of Breach Candy residents are awaiting a reply to a letter dated October 15, on the Breach Candy Residents' Association letterhead, calling attention to various concerns about the Coastal Road project.

The two-page letter addressed to Additional Municipal Commissioner (Eastern Suburbs) Ashwini Bhide, has been acknowledged as received, but "We have not got any definite reply on the meeting that we seek with the authorities through this letter," said Association president, Ashok Gupta.

Densely packed

The communication begins by saying that the residents are in agreement with the Coastal Road project. It then cites the topography of the entire Breach Candy area stating, just how crowded with schools, hospitals, and shops the belt is starting from Mahalaxmi and ending near St Stephens Church. One point states, "people coming in from other areas to access the Coastal Road, will find it extremely difficult to enter Breach Candy due to bottlenecks at both ends of the road."

Ashok Gupta, Breach Candy Residents' Association

Gupta added, "The municipal corporation is spending over Rs 14,000 crore on the Coastal Road. It runs through Malabar Hill but there is no access for residents of Malabar Hill themselves. They will have to go to Breach Candy to access the road through the bottlenecks, or continue using the old route."

Full steam

Gupta added, " I can put forth suggestions about an entry/exit next to Priyadarshini Park, which will be of use to residents of Malabar Hill and Nepean Sea Road. The entry/exit is proposed next to one of the Park's gates and Embassy Apartments' building."

Mitil Chokshi, a local resident

Mitil Chokshi, a local resident and Association member asked, " The exit next to the park on the proposed spot will bring relief to the clogging on Breach Candy. Why not take heed of this suggestion right now, rather than try a bypass later, after the arteries are clogged?" Residents claimed that they were witnessing work "on full steam ahead, so it is important that we raise the issue of entry/exit right now," he said.

Some solutions

Mukul Mehra, secretary, Nepean Sea Road Citizens' Forum, said, "this letter does not have any expert view behind it. At this juncture, I do not think the exit proposed is feasible."

Bhide did not respond to requests for comments, directing this reporter to the Public Relations (PR) team.

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