BKC adopts ‘Weekly Public Transport Day’ to cut congestion

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority MMRDA in association with research organisation WRI India launched the lsquoBKC Weekly Public Transport Dayrsquo mdash a firstofitskind initiative for a business district in India mdash on the occasion of World Environment Day June 5The move comes in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos call urging citizens to use public transport and in alignment with the Maharashtra governmentrsquos circular encouraging government employees and senior officials to use the Metro suburban rail service or buses at least once a weekThe highlevel roundtable held on Friday PICSBY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTThe announcement was made during a meeting attended by senior government officials transport agencies corporate leaders and mobility experts who collectively adopted a resolution to encourage employees and organisations to commute by public or shared transport every FridayReady for changeThe discussions highlighted that congestion inadequate firstandlastmile connectivity and limited transport choices remain among the biggest challenges faced by commuters travelling to BKCgtgt BKC hosts nearly 2 lakh formal jobs and an equal or higher number of informal jobsgtgt BKC houses 75 per cent of BSE Sensex companiesgtgt BKC houses 50 per cent of Nifty 50 companiesgtgt 52 per cent of commuters rely on personal vehicles taxis and autorickshawsgtgt 25 per cent of commuters use public transportgtgt More than 54 per cent of commuters spend over two hours travelling each daygtgt One in five commuters spends over three hours travelling each daygtgt 82 per cent of commuters express willingness to shift to public transport if services are reliable comfortable and convenientMetro boostThe initiative gains further significance as BKC enters a new era of connectivity The Metro Line 3 has already brought parts of the district within walking distance of rapid transit while upcoming Metro Lines 2B and 4 are expected to place almost the entire business district within 1 km of a Metro station creating unprecedented opportunities for sustainable commutingPublic transport adoptionParticipants also discussed a range of interventions to strengthen public transport adoption including enhanced feeder bus services improved pedestrian infrastructure better integration with the Mumbai One platform dedicated auto rickshaw facilities near transit hubs and corporate incentive programmes that reward employees and organisations for choosing sustainable modes of travelChange pledgedRepresentatives from the MMRC Maha Mumbai Metro Operation Corporation Ltd MMMOCL BEST Undertaking traffic police corporates BKC Moves Collective members and mobility experts participated in the meeting and reaffirmed their commitment to advancing sustainable mobility through collaborative actionNational modelThe BKC Weekly Public Transport Day initiative is expected to serve as a national model demonstrating how government agencies transport operators and businesses can work together to create cleaner less congested and more sustainable urban centresMMRDA SpeakDr Sanjay Mukherjee metropolitan commissioner MMRDAlsquoBKC is one of Indiarsquos most important business districts and has the potential to demonstrate how collective action can transform urban mobility Even a modest shift towards public transport and shared mobility can significantly reduce congestion improve travel efficiency lower emissions and enhance quality of lifeThrough Weekly Public Transport Day we are creating a movement that can become a model for business districts across India Meaningful change begins with each one of us My entire MMRDA team and I have pledged to support this initiative by using public transport on Fridays and encouraging a culture of sustainable mobility Together through small but consistent actions we can create a cleaner greener and more efficient Mumbairsquo