Mumbai’s long-unused octroi checkposts are set to be redeveloped into integrated transport hubs as part of a wider effort to reduce traffic congestion across the city. Directions were issued by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to begin work on transforming all five defunct checkposts located at key entry points into modern terminals for intercity buses.
The proposed hubs will be created at Dahisar, Mulund on the Eastern Express Highway, Mulund on LBS Marg, Airoli near the Mumbai-Navi Mumbai border, and Mankhurd. These sites had earlier been used for collecting octroi from commercial vehicles entering Mumbai. However, after the Goods and Services Tax was introduced in 2017, octroi collection was discontinued and the land parcels remained largely unused.
It was stated during the review meeting that these spaces could be repurposed for public transport infrastructure. Long-distance private buses currently enter deep into the city and pass through busy areas such as Dadar, Sion and Chunabhatti. Multiple pick-up and drop-off points within Mumbai have been contributing to congestion on highways, arterial roads and flyovers. Under the new plan, intercity buses arriving from other parts of Maharashtra and the country will be allowed to terminate at these five entry points instead of travelling into central parts of Mumbai. Passenger movement will be shifted to these hubs, from where last-mile connectivity is expected to be provided through metro services, private vehicles and other transport options.
Passenger facilities such as ticket counters, waiting lounges and dedicated parking areas are expected to be developed at the hubs. Commercial and recreational facilities, including food courts, shopping areas, restaurants, hotels, banquet halls and auditoriums, may also be included. The project was reviewed as part of a presentation on Mumbai’s public transport modernisation. BMC commissioner Ashwini Bhide presented the project overview, while BEST general manager Sonia Sethi shared plans related to the redevelopment of BEST depots and properties.
Through this redevelopment, the unused checkpost land is expected to be converted into active mobility centres. Traffic pressure inside Mumbai is expected to be reduced, while passengers travelling by long-distance buses may be provided with more organised and convenient facilities at the city’s entry points.