You won’t get bus lane at BKC till April

MUMBAI: You will have to wait for a dedicated bus lane at Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) till April next year. Reason: the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is yet to appoint a contractor to complete the work.

The bus lane, planned adjoining the kerbside 3-km stretch between the MTNL junction at Kurla to Kalanagar junction on the western express highway (WEH), will ensure faster commute by public transport for around two lakh officegoers heading to the Bandra-Kurla Complex.

“A contractor will be appointed by the end of this month and the work is likely to start by mid-January. It will be completed within three months,” said PRK Murthy, chief, transport and communications division, MMRDA.

This is the third time the project has missed its deadline. Earlier, the MMRDA had planned to start the bus lane by October-end, after which January was set as the deadline.

“It is unfortunate that bigger projects such as construction of flyovers are cleared much faster than smaller projects like the BKC bus lane. It is high time our politicians and bureaucrats realise transporting people safely is more important than just transporting vehicles,” said urban planner Sulakshan Mahajan.

Across the world, dedicated bus lanes are seen as cheap and effective way to encourage faster public transport and discourage private vehicles.

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