MUMBAI: The tranquil lives of residents of Worli, Breach Candy and Nepean Sea Road, who live adjacent to the Coastal Road, have been disrupted by noise pollution and reckless speeding. Unable to bear the severity of prevailing situation in the corridor, they turned to the city’s traffic police for a speedy solution.
Growing complaints from residents have led the traffic police to urge the transport department to deploy an interceptor vehicle – a specialised unit equipped with speed detection and surveillance tools to monitor violations — at the entrance to curb racing and enforce traffic laws.
Anil Kumbhare, joint commissioner of police (traffic), said the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is in the process of installing CCTVs along the Coastal Road to track speeding and other offences. “For now, we have increased police presence at the entry point and are in discussions with authorities for further action,” he said.
The affected residents say, with no existing deterrent, motorists have turned the Coastal Road into an illegal racing track. Noise pollution has also affected patients and healthcare workers at nearby hospitals. Currently, the speed limit on the stretch is 80 km/h on straight sections, 60 km/h in tunnels, and 40 km/h at turns and interchanges. On the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, violators exceeding 80 km/h face a ₹1,500 fine, but no such penalties exist here, which encourages unchecked speeding.
“The noise is unbearable, especially between 10 pm and midnight, when vehicles with modified exhausts roar through the area,” said Viren Shah, a resident of Madhuli Apartments, Worli. “The sound easily surpasses permissible noise limits and disrupts our sleep.”
According to the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, noise in residential areas should not exceed 55 dB during the day and 45 dB at night. Residents argue that the noise from high-powered engines and modified mufflers far exceeds these limits, causing undue distress.
Despite repeated calls to the police helpline, residents say enforcement remains lax. With the proposed deployment of an interceptor and enhanced monitoring, they hope for stricter action before the situation worsens.