Speeding On Mumbai Coastal Road? No More Fines, Repeat Offenders on Marine Drive-Worli Stretch to Face FIRs

Following a series of fatal accidents on the city's newest high-speed corridor, the Mumbai Traffic Police have announced a major policy shift. Habitual speeders on the Mumbai Coastal Road-which currently connects Marine Drive to the Worli-Bandra Sea Link-will now be booked under criminal sections (IPC/BNS) rather than just receiving monetary fines.

Traffic officials have now made it clear that drivers who repeatedly violate speed and lane rules on this stretch will no longer get away with just paying fines. Habitual offenders may be booked under criminal provisions, a move aimed at deterring dangerous driving behaviour that has become increasingly common on the Coastal Road.

The Mumbai Coastal Road is a key infrastructure project meant to ease congestion in South Mumbai. Built along the city's western coastline, the road connects Marine Drive in south Mumbai to the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, passing through areas such as Worli. With long tunnels, wide lanes and smoother surfaces compared to older city roads, the corridor has significantly reduced travel time for commuters. However, these same features have also encouraged drivers to speed, especially during late-night and early-morning hours when traffic is thin.

Data from the Mumbai Traffic Police shows just how serious the problem has become. Between September 8 and January 12, a total of 61,989 e-challans were issued on the Coastal Road alone. The fines collected from these violations run into crores of rupees, highlighting the scale of overspeeding and lane misuse on this single stretch.

According to traffic officials, overspeeding on the Mumbai Coastal Road attracts a fine of ₹2,000. Drivers who enter the dedicated bus lane face a ₹500 penalty for the first offence, which increases to ₹1,500 for repeat violations. While these penalties remain in place, the new approach focuses on filing criminal cases against drivers who repeatedly break rules despite multiple challans, signalling a tougher stance on road safety.

The New Penalty Scale:

• Speeding: ₹2,000 fine + potential FIR for repeat offenders.
• Bus Lane Misuse: ₹500 (1st time) to ₹1,500 (Repeat).
• Habitual Offense: 3 or more violations can now lead to a permanent criminal record, affecting your passport and future background checks.

Enforcement on the Coastal Road intensified after the introduction of Automatic Number Plate Recognition, or ANPR, cameras. These cameras, which became operational towards the end of July, automatically capture speeding, bus-lane misuse and emergency-lane violations without the need for physical checkpoints. The e-challan system began operating inside the tunnels from September 4 and was extended to the entire Coastal Road by September 27. Since then, officials say more than 500 e-challans are being issued on an average day.

Monthly challan data shows how enforcement efforts have evolved. In September, 16,852 challans were issued, a figure that rose to 19,916 in October as camera-based monitoring expanded. Numbers then dropped to 12,872 in November and fell further to 9,909 in December. By January, challans declined sharply to 3,225, suggesting that many drivers began slowing down and following rules under stricter monitoring.

Police officers say many crashes on the Coastal Road occur when motorists attempt to overtake at high speeds, particularly inside tunnels or along curved sections. In several cases, vehicles have been recorded travelling at speeds as high as 140 kmph inside tunnels, far beyond safe limits. Such driving, combined with sudden lane changes, often causes drivers to lose control, leading to serious collisions.

To address this, authorities have clearly defined speed limits for different sections of the road. The maximum permitted speed is 80 kmph on the main Coastal Road, 60 kmph inside tunnels and 40 kmph at interchanges. ANPR cameras continuously track violations of these limits, along with misuse of bus and emergency lanes, both of which increase accident risk and disrupt traffic flow.

Traffic police believe the tougher enforcement is already having an impact. With thousands of e-challans issued, heavy fines imposed and the added threat of criminal action against repeat offenders, officials expect better compliance with speed limits and lane discipline. The aim, they say, is to prevent further fatal accidents and ensure that the Mumbai Coastal Road remains a safe, efficient corridor rather than a high-speed danger zone.