Mumbai: Breach Candy residents have requested the BMC to retain the neighbourhood’s Tata Garden as an independent public garden and opposed the creation of a third access point to the upcoming Coastal Green Spaces through Bhulabhai Desai Road, stating that it would worsen traffic congestion in the locality, which they said is already crowded.In a letter addressed to the municipal commissioner on June 16, the Breach Candy Residents Forum (BCRF), along with the Breach Candy Advanced Locality Management (ALM), said they strongly support the development of the open spaces on land reclaimed under the Mumbai Coastal Road Project, but stressed that the project must also safeguard the interests of surrounding residential neighbourhoods.The residents have sought the creation of a continuous green buffer comprising dense native trees along the entire residential edge of the reclaimed land, calling it “critical climate infrastructure”. They said such a buffer would reduce heat, improve air quality, support biodiversity, minimise noise and light pollution, and provide privacy to adjoining residential buildings. The groups have also requested that the erstwhile Tata Garden be restored and retained as a standalone neighbourhood park instead of being integrated into the larger Coastal Green Spaces, as is being planned.“The neighbourhood already has two access points to the Coastal Road and Promenade through the Amarsons and Akruti underpasses. Residents do not support the creation of a third access point through Tata Garden. Any additional access should be considered from the Nepean Sea Road or Haji Ali side, and all vehicular access, parking and visitor management should be provided directly from Coastal Road infrastructure. Before any decisions are taken regarding access arrangements or parking facilities, a comprehensive traffic impact assessment should be completed and publicly shared,” states the letter.On June 12, residents met the BMC with their concerns regarding Tata Garden, where a team from Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) also was present. The BMC last year appointed RIL to design and develop the coastal road open spaces, which already made a presentation on what it is proposing before the landscaping committee headed by the BMC’s deputy municipal commissioner (gardens).A waterfront event plaza overlooking the Arabian Sea, pickleball and padel courts, food trucks and even a petting zoo with duck and turtle ponds could soon form part of the Coastal Road’s open spaces, based on the master plan that was presented to the civic authorities.
