Phase 1 of BKC pod taxi project to be completed in 20 months: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis

Mumbai: The first phase of Mumbai's BKC pod taxi project will be completed within 20 months, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Monday, setting a timeline for the city's first driverless personal rapid transit system aimed at easing last-mile congestion in the business district.Fadnavis performed the bhoomipujan of the 3.36-km Phase I stretch along with deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar, formally launching work on the project.The initial corridor will connect Kurla terminal station with Bandra East terminal station, covering key locations such as LBS Marg, MMRDA Pay and Park (G Block), BDB Gate 11, Kalanagar, Old MMRDA building and the excise department.The CM also directed officials to immediately escalate any hurdles posed by govt agencies or departments, assuring such issues would be resolved at the highest level to ensure the project is executed in a hassle-free environment and within the deadline.Planned as part of an 8.85km pod taxi network with 22 stations, the system is expected to provide seamless first- and last-mile connectivity across BKC, Kurla and Bandra East. Officials said the six-seater pods will be fully automated, battery-operated and AI-enabled, operating at a maximum speed of 40 kmph with a 15-second headway. A key feature is the on-demand stop mechanism, under which pods halt only at stations selected by passengers, bypassing others to reduce travel time. The network will integrate with Metro Line 3 at BKC and Metro 2B stations near ITO and IL&FS, improving multimodal access.The full project is projected to serve 1.09 lakh daily commuters by 2031 and is being implemented on a PPP model without direct cost to the state govt or MMRDA.