Vehicles using the internal roads of Mumbai’s Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) merely as a transit route to travel between the eastern and western suburbs may soon be subjected to congestion charges.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has initiated steps to introduce this system, inspired by models in Europe and Singapore, to reduce traffic congestion during peak hours.
According to sources, every vehicle entering BKC for less than 50 minutes will have to pay a congestion fee. BKC witnesses a daily influx of approximately 2 lakh office workers and 4 lakh visitors. A significant number of vehicles use the BKC Connector and internal roads solely to bypass traffic elsewhere and move between suburbs, worsening congestion in the area. To address this issue, MMRDA is proposing the implementation of a congestion pricing mechanism.
However, vehicles that regularly access BKC for legitimate purposes may be exempted. Such vehicles will need to be registered with the authorities. MMRDA plans to appoint a consultant soon to frame detailed policy guidelines, assess feasibility, and determine the fee structure.
Once finalized, the proposal will be sent to the state government for approval. MMRDA officials confirmed that the policy has already received in-principle approval during a recent board meeting.
Intelligent Traffic Management System to Be Deployed
To implement the congestion pricing effectively, MMRDA will install Intelligent Traffic Management Systems (ITMS) at key locations such as the Kalina Junction, BKC Connector, MTNL Junction, Bharat Nagar Junction, SCLR, and the Mumbai University road. This system will record the time a vehicle enters and exits BKC, and the congestion charge will be calculated based on the duration of stay.
