The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority is dismantling the 13-kilometre cycling track in Bandra Kurla Complex to create an additional lane for vehicles, in a bid to ease chronic congestion in the city’s premier business hub. The move, approved in a July meeting with municipal, traffic, transport, and business stakeholders, is part of a broader traffic management plan aimed at reducing commute times and decongesting the G-block area.
The track, built in 2011 at a cost of ₹60 crore to promote non-motorised, eco-friendly mobility, had long fallen short of its intended purpose. Officials acknowledge it was frequently misused as an informal parking strip for two- and four-wheelers. Demolition and conversion into vehicle lanes are estimated to cost ₹25 crore, with the redesign expected to accommodate an additional 900 vehicles per lane during peak hours. The approved plan adds two lanes to the existing four in G-block, alongside reorganisation of civic infrastructure, relocation of traffic signals, and new parking restrictions. Authorities are also exploring one-way traffic systems during rush hours, aiming to improve flow at choke points near key commercial and judicial facilities, including the National Stock Exchange and the family court junction.
Officials say these changes could cut rush-hour travel time within the business district by up to 40%, from 25 minutes to about 15 minutes. Signal wait times are projected to drop by nearly 30%. This is significant for an area that draws about 600,000 daily visitors, including 200,000 office workers. While the plan addresses immediate traffic concerns, it also raises questions about Mumbai’s long-term transport priorities. Urban planners argue that removing infrastructure for non-motorised transport undermines the city’s commitment to sustainable mobility and its climate goals. Critics say the project risks reinforcing car dependency at a time when cities worldwide are expanding cycling networks to reduce emissions and improve air quality.
Officials have maintained that the decision is pragmatic, balancing efficiency with the current demands of a growing business hub. They stress that any future sustainable mobility projects in BKC would need to be integrated into a robust enforcement and maintenance framework to avoid the misuse that plagued the cycle track. For now, the demolition marks a shift in BKC’s urban design—one that prioritises vehicular movement over dedicated cycling infrastructure, potentially setting a precedent for similar high-density zones in the city.
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