October 8, 2025: The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is exploring the possibility of levying a congestion fee on vehicles spending less than 50 minutes in the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) to tackle persistent traffic snarls. If implemented, BKC could become the first central business district in India to adopt such a scheme.
Globally, congestion charges are used in cities such as New York’s Manhattan, central London, Singapore’s CBD, and Stockholm to reduce traffic and promote public transport. In Mumbai, the proposed fee aims primarily to discourage vehicles using BKC as a thoroughfare rather than as a destination.
BKC, home to nearly 200,000 employees and attracting over 400,000 daily visitors, faces increasing congestion due to its role as a transit route and the influx of commuters heading east or west. The area is also central to several ongoing and planned infrastructure projects, including the bullet train, metro corridors, pod taxis, and flyovers.
An MMRDA official stated, “The idea is to charge only those vehicles that use BKC for transit. Many vehicles pass through, creating congestion. A fee will act as a deterrent.”
However, transport analysts argue that the solution lies in improving east-west connectivity. Currently, BKC has limited links via Dharavi, Sion station, and the Santacruz–Chembur Link Road. More connections to Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg, Kurla, and Santacruz are needed. With over 40,000 vehicles using BKC as a passage and the upcoming bullet train set to increase traffic, a congestion fee alone may not resolve the issue.
The MMRDA’s plan envisions tracking entry and exit using an Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) and collecting fees through Fastag, an electronic toll system. The authority has initiated consultations with experts and deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde, MMRDA chairman, but stressed that the proposal remains at an exploratory stage.
Source: Hindustan Times
