Mumbai, Jun 12 (PTI) A weekly initiative by development agency MMRDA to curb traffic in the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC), a bustling business district in Mumbai, and promote public transport received a tepid response on Day 1 on Friday with office-goers reporting routine commuting conditions.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), however, claimed in its social media posts that the voluntary initiative, dubbed “BKC Friday Public Transport Day”, received an encouraging response on its first day with many commuters opting for public transport.
Despite the expansion of metro connectivity in recent years, last-mile connectivity in BKC remains a challenge for many commuters, who continue to rely on private vehicles, besides taxis and auto-rickshaws, who charge hefty fare to them.
“It was like any other day. There was the usual traffic on the entire route. It took almost the same time for us to reach Kurla station from Bharat Nagar by an auto-rickshaw after leaving office around 6 pm,” an employee of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) said.
He said several employees in his office were unaware of the initiative.
“Had the MMRDA informed HR departments of companies in advance, they could have communicated it to employees and made suitable arrangements,” he argued.
An employee of the Transport Commissioner’s office said the initiative appeared to have benefited auto-rickshaw drivers more than commuters.
“Auto-rickshaw drivers were charging higher fares than usual and people who had left their personal vehicles at home were forced to pay more,” he said.
“From Bandra East to Bharat Nagar, the usual fare is around Rs 30, but some drivers were charging Rs 50 today as more people were relying on public transport,” he claimed.
Ridership data at the BKC Metro station, one of the key transit points serving the business district, showed a marginal increase in passenger numbers.
As per data sources from Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation, passenger footfall till 7 pm stood at 6,182 compared to 6,015 on Thursday and 5,943 on Wednesday, indicating a modest rise in metro usage on the Public Transport Day.
BKC, one of the country’s largest and busiest commercial hubs, houses the offices of major banks, financial institutions, multinational corporations, government agencies and the Bharat Diamond Bourse, and attracts lakhs of office-goers every working day.
The business district is also home to prominent convention, hospitality and entertainment venues, including the Jio World Centre.
Public transport users have often complained of overcrowded buses, long waiting times and inadequate last-mile connectivity between railway stations, metro stations and office complexes within the business district.
BKC routinely witnesses heavy traffic congestion during peak hours, particularly on all approach roads.
An MMRDA spokesperson did not comment on the response to the initiative when contacted by PTI. However, the Maharashtra government-run authority described the response as encouraging in its social media posts.
MMRDA, in its social media posts about the day, claimed that several employees working in BKC chose public transport instead of private vehicles as part of the campaign aimed at reducing traffic congestion and promoting environmentally sustainable travel.
MMRDA Metropolitan Commissioner Sanjay Mukherjee, who resides near the authority’s headquarters in BKC, walked to his office in support of the initiative and was welcomed by staff members with flowers on his arrival, as per the social media posts.
Mukherjee thanked citizens for participating in the campaign and appreciated corporate and government organisations that encouraged their employees to join the initiative.
He expressed hope that more citizens would participate in the campaign on subsequent Fridays and help it evolve into a sustainable public movement promoting the use of public transport, the authority said.
To support the initiative, BEST posted officers at strategic locations, including Bandra and Kurla railway stations during morning peak hours and in BKC during the evening peak period, to monitor passenger demand and ensure adequate services.
At present, 16 bus routes comprising 125 buses serve BKC, including four feeder routes operated by 33 buses connecting Bandra and Kurla railway stations to the business district.
Earlier this month, MMRDA had announced this initiative following a recent roundtable discussion attended by representatives of transport agencies, the Mumbai Traffic Police, leading BKC-based companies and mobility experts, who pledged support for sustainable commuting practices.
In a release issued that time, the MMRDA said that with Metro Line 3 already operational and Metro Lines 2B and 4 expected to become functional in the coming years, most parts of the business district would be located within one kilometre of a metro station. PTI KK RSY
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.