The Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) has approved the long-awaited automated Mass Rapid Transit System at Bandra Kurla Complex, known as the pod taxi project. The project is estimated to cost INR 1,016.34 crore and will take three years to complete.
The approved proposal involves cutting 431 trees and affecting 0.14 hectares of mangroves. The project’s alignment will pass through mangrove areas along the banks near BKC for about 58.48 metres.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has already approached the Tree Authority for permission to remove the trees. The MMRDA told the MCZMA that existing public transport options for BKC are not flexible or energy-efficient. Large buses often run almost empty after office hours.
The authority plans to address this with an Automated Rapid Transit System, a zero-emission, on-demand transport option for short city trips.
At present, thousands of office workers reach BKC using BEST buses, autorickshaws, and taxis. Many commuters complain of irregular bus services and high fares charged by autorickshaw drivers, especially for short trips from Bandra and Kurla railway stations.
The pod car system is expected to serve between 4-6 lakh commuters daily. It will use small, self-driving, electric vehicles on an 8.01-kilometre elevated route between Bandra and Kurla.
There will be 21 stations across BKC. Each station will have facilities such as escalators, ticket counters, waiting facilities, and charging facilities for the pods. Operations will be managed with advanced control systems, intelligent sensors, and real-time monitoring.
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