MMRDA launches 'Weekly Public Transport Day' in BKC to ease traffic and congestion

In a firstofitskind initiative the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority MMRDA on Saturday June 6 launched a lsquoWeekly Public Transport Dayrsquo every week for the Bandra Kurla Complex BKC encouraging the areas nearly two lakh workforce to commute using public or shared transport every FridayThe initiative launched in association with WRI India on the occasion of World Environment Day is aimed at reducing traffic congestion lowering carbon emissions and promoting sustainable urban mobility in Mumbais premier commercial hubThe announcement was made during a highlevel roundtable attended by senior government officials transport agencies corporate leaders and mobility experts who adopted a joint resolution to encourage organisations and employees across BKC to embrace public transport for their weekly commuteThe campaign aligns with PM Modirsquos appeal to use maximum public transport for commutingThe campaign aligns with PM Modirsquos appeal for greater use of public transport and the Maharashtra governments policy encouraging state employees and senior officials to use metro suburban rail or bus services at least once a weekSpeaking at the event Dr Sanjay Mukherjee Metropolitan Commissioner of MMRDA said BKC has the potential to become a national model for sustainable urban mobilityBKC is one of Indias most important business districts and has the potential to demonstrate how collective action can transform urban mobility Nearly two lakh professionals commute to BKC every day from across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Even a modest shift towards public transport and shared mobility can significantly reduce congestion improve travel efficiency lower emissions and enhance quality of life he saidMMRDA urges people to use public transport every FridayMukherjee also announced that he and the entire MMRDA team have pledged to use public transport on Fridays and encourage sustainable commuting practices within the organisationBKC which houses around two lakh formal jobs and a similar number of informal jobs is one of the countrys largest business hubs It is home to nearly 75 per cent of companies listed on the BSE Sensex and half of the firms in the Nifty 50 indexMobility studies presented during the roundtable highlighted the need for such an initiative According to the findings 52 per cent of commuters currently rely on private vehicles taxis and autorickshaws while only 25 per cent use public transport for their daily journeys to BKCThe study also found that more than half of commuters spend over two hours travelling every day while nearly one in five spend more than three hours commutingTraffic congestion inadequate firstandlastmile connectivity and limited transport options were identified as the major challenges faced by commuters However the survey also revealed strong public support for sustainable mobility with 82 per cent of respondents indicating they would switch to public transport if services became more reliable comfortable and convenientEnhanced connectivity for public commuteThe initiative comes at a time when BKC is witnessing significant improvements in public transport infrastructure The operational Metro Line 3 has already enhanced connectivity to parts of the business district while the upcoming Metro Lines 2B and 4 are expected to place almost the entire BKC area within one kilometre of a metro stationDuring the discussions participants proposed several measures to encourage greater use of public transport including enhanced feeder bus services improved pedestrian facilities better integration with the Mumbai One platform dedicated autorickshaw zones near transit hubs and corporate incentive programmes for employees who opt for sustainable travelRepresentatives from the MMRDA MMRC MMMOCL BEST Undertaking Mumbai Traffic Police leading corporates in BKC and members of the BKC Moves Collective participated in the event and reaffirmed their commitment to promoting sustainable urban transportOfficials further said that the lsquoBKC Weekly Public Transport Dayrsquo initiative could emerge as a national template for collaboration between government agencies transport operators and businesses to create cleaner less congested and more sustainable business districts across India