Mumbai: BMC unveils ambitious plan to transform Octroi Nakas

According to the BMC plan, all long-distance buses will halt at Octroi Nakas. File pic

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is set to invite a tender to develop a bus hub, commercial, and financial centre at Octroi Nakas. BMC has decided to convert the empty land of Mankhurd and Dahisar Octroi Nakas into a bus, commercial, and financial hub. According to the BMC plan, all long-distance buses will halt at Octroi Nakas.

Places will be allotted to long-distance buses at Octroi Nakas with necessary logistics like charging and CNG stations, parking, eating houses, restaurants, bus bays, inquiry counters, and ticket booking counters. The transport hub will be developed to provide last-mile connectivity via BEST buses, trains, metro, and other private and public transport. BMC is even considering transit accommodation for travellers at an affordable cost and working men's and women's hostel dormitories as well. "We are planning to develop a self-sustainable development that also generates revenue for BMC. This will be a smart complex with all modern amenities," the BMC official said.

BMC is planning to develop this hub to prevent traffic congestion in the city and also generate employment. BMC will generate revenue from these hubs. Dahisar is the northern part of the city where buses mainly come from Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Delhi.

While at Mankhurd naka, buses are coming from Goa and Pune.

"We are planning to invite tenders, and the estimated project cost is around Rs 1500 crore. BMC will invite tenders in one or two months. Also, this project will help reduce traffic congestion of long-distance buses and the use of empty land," the official added.

Octroi abolished in 2017

The area of Dahisar Octroi Naka is 18,869 square metres, and Mankhurd Octroi Naka is 29,774 square meters. There are 5 octroi nakas at the end of the city. These nakas have been empty since octroi was abolished in 2017.