Mumbai: BKC offices may work in shifts from December

Move by MMRDA is to prevent hellish traffic situation once the numerous infra projects in the business hub take off by year-end

If your office is located in Bandra Kurla Complex, be prepared for a major shift in your work timings very soon. With upcoming infrastructure projects in the central business district, with a footfall of nearly two lakh daily, likely to cause major traffic problems, MMRDA — the special planning authority of the area — is trying to get private companies in BKC to introduce staggered office timings this year.

Around 25,000 vehicles use the arterial roads in BKC daily, with traffic snarls being witnessed between 8 am and 9.30 pm

The new timings are likely to be implemented by the end of this year, sources told mid-day. Additional Metropolitan Commissioner Pravin Darade said that last week, the MMRDA held a meeting with representatives of private offices in BKC, where it suggested that 50 per cent of the offices begin at 8 am and the remaining, at 12 noon. The rule will, however, not apply to government offices.

Jitendra Gupta

By the end of this year, work on several infrastructure projects will begin in BKC. The projects include the Metro 2B, Kalanagar flyover, bullet train and SCLR extension. Work on the BKC-Chunnabhatti connector is already in progress. "Due to the projects, barricades will come up on the arterial roads in BKC, leading to traffic chaos," said Darade, adding that having staggered work timings will ease the traffic snarls, which peaks between 8 am and 9.30 am.

Valentine D'Souza

Around 25,000 vehicles use the arterial roads in BKC daily. The traffic scenario at the entrance of BKC from Sion-Bandra Link Road gets difficult to handle during peak hours. "With new projects coming into BKC, the situation is only going to turn from bad to worse," said an official.

The scenario is the same at the entry point from Santacruz via SCLR. MMRDA officials said that as they have noticed that traffic starts easing post 11 am, it would be a good decision to have 50 per cent of the work force at BKC arrive during that time. Transport Expert Jitendra Gupta lauded the move. "It will definitely ease congestion. But, MMRDA should also make the new timings compulsory for government offices," he said.

Also Read: Mumbai: MMRDA stalls 'Smart BKC' work in lieu of Metro 2B, bullet train work

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