Residents Protest BMC's Hoardings Plan on Coastal Road

Mumbai's Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is facing significant backlash over its plan to install six hoardings along the coastal road in South Mumbai. Local residents from Nepean Sea Road and Breach Candy have launched an online petition urging the civic authorities to reconsider the decision, citing concerns over the potential negative impact on the city’s aesthetics, safety, ecology, and heritage. The BMC has approved four hoardings in Tata Garden and two in Haji Ali Garden, but the project requires approval from the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) due to its location in Coastal Regulation Zone-II. The online petition, initiated by local citizen Rajesh Dahiya, has gained momentum, collecting 500 signatures by Wednesday evening. Dahiya emphasized the importance of preserving Mumbai’s Coastal Road as a cherished part of the city’s heritage, free from commercial encumbrances. Other residents echoed these sentiments, with Dr. Nilesh Baxi expressing distrust in political promises regarding the absence of hoardings, while Gita Bhatia insisted that the coastal road should remain an open space rather than a site for commercial exploitation. In response to the growing opposition, a civic official stated that the hoardings do not violate any Supreme Court orders and that permissions were granted prior to a recent hoarding incident in Ghatkopar. He confirmed that no new hoarding permissions have been issued since then and that final clearance for the current hoardings will only be granted after receiving approval from the MCZMA.