MUMBAI, June 18 -- After three months of sustained campaigning by South Mumbai residents, the 'Unlock the Exit' campaign secured its first significant breakthrough: the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has indicated a willingness to consider the long-pending demand for a coastal road exit at Nepean Sea Road. In a meeting held last week between MSRDC and the BMC, the state agency responded positively to the proposal for the first time according to senior civic officials privy to the matter. Earlier requests, they said, had been either rejected or stonewalled but MSRDC now appeared to be ready for a discussion on relinquishing a 10.5-metre-wide strip of land owned by it on Nepean Sea Road, from where the exit has been requested by residents and a pedestrian access to the coastal road promenade has also been requested. "Since this is a prime plot, we need to evaluate the monetisation potential. We will study the proposal and submit a report in the next 10 days," an MSRDC official said. The proposal had previously hit multiple roadblocks. In January 2025, the BMC wrote to MSRDC, seeking access to the land but MSRDC declined, stating that it was reserved for other purposes. Subsequent efforts had also failed. The citizen-led campaign drew support from 42,000 residents of nearly 145 residential buildings across Breach Candy, Kemps Corner, Nepean Sea Road and Malabar Hill. Residents contended that traffic congestion along the Breach Candy-Malabar Hill stretch would ease if given a direct exit from the southbound arm of the Coastal Road. Even if MSRDC agrees to part with the land, however, the project still faces several hurdles. Civic officials said the BMC would first undertake a detailed feasibility study to establish the alignment, engineering requirements and technical viability of the proposed exit. Although technical challenges seem likely, they will become clear once the study is complete, a senior BMC official said The demand for the additional exit gained momentum after the opening of the southbound carriageway of the Mumbai Coastal Road, with residents arguing that the absence of a Nepean Sea Road exit had concentrated traffic at the Amarsons Interchange and Mukesh Chowk, affecting the corridor. However, some residents hold a slightly different view. Rahul Kadri, chairperson of the Nepean Sea Road Citizens Forum, said, "While we welcome MSRDC's positive response to the residents' long-standing demand for pedestrian access to the Coastal Road promenade from Nepean Sea Road, we are deeply puzzled by the apparent prioritisation of vehicles over people." Kadri was talking about the coastal road exit. "Before any irreversible decisions are made, we urge the BMC to commission and publish an independent traffic study demonstrating how the proposed additional roads will actually benefit the residents of Nepean Sea Road and Malabar Hill," he said. "Our own analysis strongly suggests that intelligent traffic management at Mukesh Chowk can resolve the congestion issues without sacrificing a single tree or square foot of open space. We are equally concerned that acres of green space, over a hundred trees, and several community facilities will be removed for the project without any reasoned justification being offered to residents." Members of the 'Unlock the Exit' campaign rooting for an exit are happy. "This is a welcome and significant step forward," a core member told HT. "We appreciate MSRDC's in-principle decision and hope the BMC and all stakeholders will work together with urgency to deliver a practical solution."...