Mumbai to get first ropeway from Kurla to BKC

The city may be all set to get its first ropeway from Kurla to Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) in the near future, with the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) considering coming up with the ropeway on the Kurla-BKC stretch to decongest traffic around Kurla station.

“The plan is to carry out feasibility studies on constructing a network of ropeways all around the city. We will identify locations after taking suggestions in the Comprehen-sive Transport Study (CTS) carried out by MMMRDA in 2008, and the CTS study is also getting updated, which will give a clear picture.

We also plan to identify locations that are choked in terms of traffic and pedestrian movements by taking suggestions from the Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) prepared by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC),” said a MMRDA official involved in the study.

The MMRDA plans to come up with the first ropeway between Kurla and BKC as pilot project. “The area near Kurla station is highly congested and lakhs of office-goers commute to BKC by getting down at Kurla and that is why, it will be a good idea to commence the project on this route,” the official added.

According to MMRDA officials, after facing multiple issues in acquiring land for elevated and underground metro corridors, the ropeway will be a project requiring minimum land acquisition. In the past too, MMRDA had requested the state government to make it the implementing authority for the Vashi to Ghatkopar ropeway route which is now being implemented by the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO).

“The plan of constructing a Metro network of 118 km in the city is underway and also the Monorail phase-2 will be functional soon. The study will be carried out anticipating the factor that one cannot put much pressure or expect much from one particular mode of transport. After local train, metro will be the new mode of transport, but this entire ropeway project will cater to a different set of commuters,” said the MMRDA official.