India, Sept. 26 -- Breach Candy residents are up in arms after police blocked entry to the Akruti pedestrian underpass (PUP), a key access point to the newly opened Coastal Road promenade, citing security during Navratri.

On Tuesday evening, Breach Candy resident and senior doctor at Breach Candy Hospital, Dr Siddharth Dagli, said he was stopped from entering the underpass near his home. "I was told the PUP is closed for VIP movement and will open only on Dussehra. Are we not allowed to walk on public infrastructure, built with taxpayers' money, for 11 days just because of VIP movement?" he said, adding that he had to take a 20-minute detour to Tata Gardens PUP for his evening walk.

A senior police officer confirmed the closure, saying ...