Mumbai: Poor connectivity, worse air and gridlocks plague Bandra Kurla Complex

Originally planned as a commercial hub BKC is today among Mumbairsquos costliest real estate spaces In March this year industrialist Uday Kotak expressed awe over the area noting that office buildings in Mumbairsquos BKC command higher prices than those in Manhattan He made this statement in response to a social media user who posted that a New York commercial office building had sold at Rs 16000 per sq footmdashless than half of BKCrsquos going rateOne of the highest lease rentals ever paid for office space in Bandra Kurla Complex BKCon a shortterm basis was Rs 700 per sq ft for a commercial space in June 2024 The current per sq ft rate in BKC ranges from Rs 500 to Rs 650 according to a real estate agentOne not only inhales the cityrsquos worst air quality but also sees severe traffic congestion at Bandra Kurla Complex File PicSayyed Sameer AbediDespite paying such high rents working and living in BKC can be a nightmare One not only inhales the cityrsquos worst air quality after paying premium prices but also encounters severe traffic jams and connectivity issues due to fragmented infrastructure Broken infrastructure remains a major problem for this highprofile district In a threepart series midday breaks down the key issues plaguing the areaEnter BKC from Bandra stnldquoThe auto menace at the station is highly problematic They donrsquot even allow commuters to get down from the foot overbridge and bully them In Bandra West things are a bit more organised but itrsquos a different story outside the east exitrdquo said Akanksha Gawde a government employee and commuter ldquoWhy are there no buses outside Bandra station There is space for autos and Chalo buses but not for regular buses Is BEST working for the benefit of the auto drivers here The authorities must get their act togetherrdquo said Randivyesh Shukla another commuterEntering BKC from the Kurla side via the connectorLionel Falcao who visits BKC daily said ldquoCommuting in BKC is a daily nightmare due to traffic gridlock and broken promises Regular traffic snarls have wreaked havoc on countless citizensrsquo daily travel compounded by the disarray at vital junctions such as the clogged BKC area where the promise of a lsquowalk to workrsquo concept has sadly failed to materialise Vehicles entering and exiting via the BKC connector and the National Stock Exchange NSE are left dealing with constant delays and disruptionsrdquoDespite high rents working and living in Bandra Kurla Complex can be a nightmare File PicAshish RajeFalcao explained that heavy traffic on LBS Marg frequently causes missed appointments and late arrivals ldquoThis issue worsens at the BKC connector and BKC One Junction which links Plot C80 to Plot C79 below the BKC connector stretching from the SEBI building to Avenue 5 BKC connector road and Avenue 3 WeWork Disrupted cab services and lastminute cancellations leave commuters scrambling for alternatives and cause additional delays The contract bus parking on main roads worsens the situation showing an alarming disregard for the cityrsquos needs The streets of Mumbai belong to its people and itrsquos high time their voices are heardCommuters deserve an effective solution to transform their daily nightmare into a smoother travel experience The clock is ticking and the cityrsquos vitality hangs in the balancerdquo Falcao addedHighprofile users complainThe lack of proper connectivity unruly autos barricades and ongoing digging and construction along the main road which has left numerous streetlights nonfunctional is not how the cityrsquos costliest district should appear Despite these issues being frequently highlighted by highprofile BKC users and even a sitting minister no concrete solutions have been implementedFrustrated with daily traffic hassles members of the Bharat Diamond Bourse BDB wrote a detailed letter earlier this year outlining the commuting problems faced by their staff both within BKC and to the nearest stations These challenges have begun affecting their operations and they emphasised that a fundamental design flaw exists ldquoWe write to formally express the severe hardships faced by the stakeholders of lsquoGrsquo Block BKC in general and of BDB in particular due to the acute traffic congestion within BKC area As one of the largest and most frequented commercial establishments in BKC with an average daily footfall of approximately 80000 and a vehicular influx of nearly 9000 we are compelled to highlight the critical infrastructural challenges that are adversely impacting our operationsrdquo the letter statedldquoAn aerial view of BDB and its immediate surroundings unequivocally reveals a fundamental design flaw in the allocation of space The disproportionate width of the pedestrian walkway and green area at 21 metres in stark contrast to the mere 15metre road designed for four lanes of traffic is a glaring anomaly This architectural oversight has exacerbated traffic congestion during peak hours causing significant delays and disruptions for our stakeholdersrdquo the letter a copy of which is with midday statedThe flaws listed1 Spatial planning discrepancies An aerial view of BDB and its surroundings clearly reveals significant discrepancies in the design and approval process The disproportionate allocation of space to the garden and footpath 21 metres compared to the road four lanes 15 metres exemplifies this oversight2 Urgent infrastructure upgrade We strongly advocate for a comprehensive redesign of the BKC area with active participation from key stakeholders This redesign should prioritise expanding road width to accommodate increased traffic volume3 Traffic management enhancements We propose keeping the left lanes open at all times removing unnecessary barricades after Metro construction and implementing a smart traffic signalling system to dynamically adjust traffic flow based on realtime conditions4 Dedicated traffic division Given the unique challenges posed by the BKC area we urge the establishment of a dedicated traffic division under the BKC police station BDB is prepared to extend full cooperation in this endeavour5 Increased traffic manpower The Mumbai Traffic Police Department should deploy additional manpower during peak hours at key intersections BDB is ready to provide its own security traffic wardens to assist the traffic police However a consistent and visible Traffic police presence is essential for better impact6 Public transport infrastructure Dedicated parking facilities for private buses and autorickshaws are essential for public convenience However the current road infrastructure requires a strategic approach to prevent further congestionPedestrian bridgesA few key pedestrian bridges linking BKC with Kurla Sion and Chunabhatti could transform pedestrian access and make BKC more walkable according to a proposal from the Walking Project to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority MMRDA and the guardian minister This is one of many suggestions collected from a survey conducted at BKC which identified issues and recommended enhancements to improve pedestrianfriendliness in the arealdquoIf the MMRDA were to add pedestrian bridges over the Mithi River similar to those in Ahmedabad the walking distance between Kurla Station and Diamond Bourse could be reduced by nearly 25 per cent from 21 km to 16 kmrdquo said Vedant Mhatre programme director of the Walking ProjectTwo bridges in Kurla West could link the New Mill RoadSG Barve Road path and another could connect from Belgrami Road Adding a bridge and a few foot overbridges FOBs further south would make it possible for pedestrians to walk from Sion and Chunabhatti stations reaching ONGC in just 15 minutes 13 km ldquoThis would alleviate passenger load at Kurla Station and its surrounding areardquo he addedldquoPeople routinely walk these distances in Fort and Churchgate every day Itrsquos a practical solution yet itrsquos puzzling why the BKC connector was not designed with footpaths given that it passes directly by Chunabhatti stationrdquoBandra skywalkThe old skywalk with one arm extending to Kalanagar and another to Bandra court via Anant Kanekar Marg station road was built in 2008 by the MMRDA and subsequently handed over to the BMC With repairs estimated to cost R7 crore the BMC opted for reconstruction The old bridge was demolished in October 2022 but there is no sign of the new skywalk Construction on the new skywalk began after the monsoon seasonMinisterrsquos solutionsMumbai Suburban districtrsquos Guardian Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha wrote to the MMRDA in August 2024 requesting immediate measures to address traffic congestion at BKC The traffic issues worsened after the Sion Road overbridge was closedldquoIt has been repeatedly brought to the attention of the relevant authorities that traffic congestion in BKC is increasing and has become unbearable Due to Metro construction road space has further decreased While a cycle track and garden were built we must acknowledge that the cycle track is rarely used As the guardian minister for the suburb I have met with all officers concerned and stakeholders over the past six monthsrdquo Lodha statedHe proposed a threepoint plan involving more buses merging cycle lanes and removing unnecessary barricades1 Cycle track The cycle track could be removed from the road and the MMRDA could construct a separate track on an adjoining plot in BKC where cyclists could ride safely2 Reduced barricades The barriers installed for Metro work should be minimised to allow more space for pedestrians and motorists3 Improved transportation There are significant traffic issues and instances of overcharging by taxis and autorickshaws at Bandra Station East for rides to and from BKC The MMRDA should consider implementing special bus services from Bandra Station to the BKC route