No land, no pod taxi: How red tape is derailing Mumbai’s ambitious transit experiment

The Bandra East dispute

The first flashpoint is in Bandra East, where the dispute centres on a 4,000 square metre plot on Anant Kanekar Marg near the railway station. The land forms part of a larger 45,000 square metre parcel controlled by the Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA), a government body that manages land owned by Indian Railways, and was leased to Indian Railway Construction International Limited (IRCON), a state-owned infrastructure company.

Western Railway, which operates train services in this part of Mumbai, has objected to MMRDA’s plans to take over part of the land, arguing it is needed for future expansion.

“The IRCON plot is of importance for planning and development of various railway infrastructure in order to augment train services originating from Mumbai,” state minutes of a January 2026 meeting between Western Railway and MMRDA. Though the land was handed to RLDA, railway officials have maintained it remains under their operational control.

When asked to suggest alternative plots, a Western Railway spokesperson said an internal assessment was carried out and alternatives presented, including a plot in Behrampada and another currently used as a parking lot by the Slum Rehabilitation Authority, a government body that oversees resettlement of slum dwellers. “Since conveying the proposal, we have not received any response from their end,” said the spokesperson.

MMRDA, however, has continued to press its claim and has not been shy about using its planning authority as leverage. Under development regulations, any plot above 2,000 square metres must reserve 10 per cent of its area as amenity space, which is land set aside for public use. Since RLDA’s 45,000 square metre parcel would require such a reservation, MMRDA is arguing it is legally entitled to claim the 4,000 square metre slice for the pod taxi terminal, not merely demanding it as a favour. MMRDA plans to classify the pod taxi terminal as an amenity through the state government.

“As the special planning authority of the area, MMRDA has a right over the amenity plot,” said a senior official. “MMRDA has informed RLDA that their development plan will not be approved unless the 4,000 sqm plot is handed over to us for the pod taxi.”

In other words, MMRDA is telling RLDA to hand over the smaller plot, or it will block approval for the entire larger development. Officials also said the Behrampada alternative was unsuitable due to heavy encroachments.

The Kurla end: closer, but not there yet

At the other terminal in Kurla, a busy suburban neighbourhood on the eastern edge of BKC, only procedural formalities remain. The land chosen for the terminal currently houses a Police Colony near Kurla’s Bhabha Hospital. Spread over 6,000 square metres, the colony sits on land owned by the Public Works Department (PWD), the state government body that manages public infrastructure.

“Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis held a meeting with the police authorities, giving them the direction for the handover of the land. Their in-principle approval is in, but the procedure for the handover is ongoing,” said an official.

A source from the police confirmed this. “The process for the handover is now the MMRDA’s prerogative,” he said. “Around 85 to 90 police families live in the colony, who will have to be rehabilitated.”

To repurpose the plot, approval from the state’s Urban Development department will be required. An official explained: “The reservation of the land will need to be changed to allow for ‘integrated development,’ which will allow for the terminal on the lower floors and redeveloped residences for the police on the floors above. This move will likely come with additional Floor Space Index (FSI) for both to be accommodated.” FSI is a measure of how much can be built on a given plot.

The autonomous pods will run at intervals of 15 to 30 seconds, making them ideal for navigating the narrow roads connecting BKC with Bandra and Kurla suburban stations.

The project

The Rs 1,016-crore project proposes 38 stations along an 8.85-km route within BKC, with small driverless pods carrying up to six passengers each, routing trips based on real-time demand. Each pod measures 3.5 metres in length and travels at a maximum speed of 40 kmph, running on elevated tracks supported by eight-metre-high pillars, leaving road space below unobstructed. The autonomous pods will run at intervals of 15 to 30 seconds, making them ideal for navigating the narrow roads connecting BKC with Bandra and Kurla suburban stations.

The system will be implemented under a public-private partnership by Sai Green Mobility, in collaboration with Ultra PRT, which operates a similar system at Heathrow Airport in London.

Addressing concerns that the project could mirror the financial struggles of Mumbai’s largely loss-making monorail, MMRDA Commissioner Sanjay Mukherjee said, “The pod taxi is the country’s only project which is being built entirely without government subsidy. Instead, the executing agency will be paying the MMRDA Rs 1 crore and 21 percent of their revenue per year.”

Meanwhile, Sai Green Mobility has begun surveying residents at the proposed sites. A representative from the company declined to comment.

The MMRDA estimates the system will serve between 400,000 and 600,000 daily commuters travelling to BKC. Although the BKC pilot is yet to take off, discussions are underway for similar pod taxi systems in Thane, Mira Bhayandar and Navi Mumbai, though those proposals remain at an early stage.