The newly opened Coastal Road in South Mumbai was expected to ease traffic, but it’s doing the opposite.
Commuters are now dealing with heavy traffic jams stretching from Worli Sea Face all the way to the Bandra-Worli Sea Link (BWSL).
According to Hindustan Times, Pratik Salgaonkar, who has driven this route for 14 years, shared, “What used to take six to eight minutes now takes 15 to 20 minutes.” The problem isn’t just at the entry point of the Coastal Road. It’s causing bumper-to-bumper traffic on the BWSL itself, with cars crawling for one to two kilometers.
Another commuter, Zaheer Memon, voiced his frustration, saying, “We pay Rs 150 for the toll, but the traffic is unbearable.” He explained that the traffic has been bad ever since work on the Coastal Road started, but it’s now even worse. The bottleneck where four lanes merge into two is a major issue, causing significant delays.
Worli resident Chikita Kukreja also noticed the worsening traffic, particularly during the morning rush. What used to be a 15-minute drive now takes her 25 to 30 minutes.
An official from the traffic department attributed the issue to the faster travel times on the Coastal Road, which has led to more cars reaching Worli at the same time. However, he insisted that the bottleneck at the BWSL exit is an infrastructure problem, not just a traffic one.
While the Coastal Road may be a smooth ride, it hasn’t solved South Mumbai’s traffic woes. Commuters are hoping the situation will improve once the entire Coastal Road is fully operational.
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