Residents of Malabar Hill have approached the Bombay High Court challenging the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) 2023 decision to reduce the sanctioned width of Walkeshwar Road between the Afghan Consulate building and Teen Batti from nearly 27.5 metres to 17 metres.
The public interest litigation (PIL), filed by the Malabar Hill Citizens Association through its 85-year-old convener, architect Jaswant Mehta, and co-conveners, refers to a BMC letter issued in April withdrawing a stop-work notice issued in April 2025.
According to the PIL, the civic body’s decision has not been revoked and is contrary to law. Residents argue that reducing the road width could affect the entire Walkeshwar road alignment and worsen traffic congestion in the area.
Residents Oppose Road Width Reduction
The PIL stated that the sanctioned width of Walkeshwar Road had remained 27.5 metres from Mumbai’s first Development Plan in 1967 until 2018. A proposal was subsequently made in 2021 to reduce the width to 17 metres between the Afghan Consulate and Teen Batti.
The residents said the road “has been reduced drastically” in a manner “unprecedented for any road especially for a road like Walkeshwar Road, which is one of the most important roads in Malabar Hill widely serving residents of Walkeshwar road, Ridge Road, Nepean Sea Road, Doongershi Road and surroundings of Banganga area”.
The association has been raising the issue with the BMC and various state departments since November 2024. Following these representations, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis directed the civic administration in April 2025 to issue a stop-work notice and restore the road width.
Residents said work on the project had not begun and pointed out that the existing road is only around 13.5 to 16 metres wide, making widening necessary.
Concerns Over Traffic and Emergency Access
The PIL alleged that the BMC commissioner issued a stop-work notice but did not revoke the underlying resolution. It also claimed that an IIT-Bombay report was sought, but that the report did not address the residents’ concerns.
The petition further stated that the former civic chief allegedly directed the development plan department’s chief engineer to withdraw the stop-work notice before leaving office on March 31, 2026. The notice was subsequently withdrawn on April 8, the PIL contended.
The Bombay High Court’s Acting Chief Justice RV Ghuge said the matter would be heard by the incoming Chief Justice-led bench.
Residents have also warned that redevelopment projects enabled by higher FSI in the neighbourhood could increase traffic pressure. They said the narrower road may cause congestion and obstruct emergency vehicles.
Road Serves Key Public Locations
The association said Walkeshwar Road connects several important locations, including Raj Bhavan, Hanging Garden, Kamala Nehru Park, the State Guest House, residences of cabinet ministers and high court judges, Elizabeth Hospital, Jain temples and Banganga.
Residents also alleged that the BMC had failed to widen the road or provide even a minimum three-metre footpath on both sides. The PIL further alleged, without elaborating, that the reduction could benefit a private developer near Teen Batti junction on the seafront, where a 15-storey building is proposed.
The association maintained that reducing the road width would adversely affect the Walkeshwar road alignment and lead to serious traffic problems.
Source: The Times of India
