RLDA to part with 4,000-sqm portion of prime Bandra plot for pod taxi station

The route of the pod taxi project and design of the terminating station have been awaiting finalisation for a long time due to uncertainty over availability of the 4,000-sqm land parcel

Mumbai: In a major boost for the pod taxi project, the Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) has given in-principle approval to transfer a 4000-square metre portion of a prime plot in Bandra to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) for the project’s terminating station. The approval was given during a joint meeting on Wednesday between the RLDA, the MMRDA and Oberoi Realty, which is developing the larger 45,371-square metre (11-acre) plot, officials familiar with the matter told Hindustan Times.

RLDA to part with 4,000-sqm portion of prime Bandra plot for pod taxi station

“The plot is around the corner, along the Western Express Highway. We have informed rail authorities as well as the developer that the pod taxi station will benefit the overall development of the locality,” a senior MMRDA official said, requesting anonymity.

Discussions with the RLDA and Western Railway regarding handover of the land parcel were at an advanced stage, and both agencies were working in close coordination towards completion of the formal handover process, the official said.

The route of the pod taxi project and design of the terminating station have been awaiting finalisation for a long time due to uncertainty over availability of the 4,000-sqm land parcel. Sources said that in case the RLDA eventually disagreed to part with the plot, the MMRDA could take it over under provisions of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act, 1966.

An RLDA official said the authority was working with the developer on finishing the documentation and other processes for handing over the land parcel, which would take 3-4 months.

“The finalisation regarding whether the plot will be allotted for the terminating station needs to be mutually agreeable for us and the developer,” the RLDA official said.

Oberoi Realty, which had emerged as the highest bidder for the 11-acre plot in the auction conducted by the RLDA in February, had sought a change in the design of the pod taxi station. As the RLDA has now granted in principle approval to transfer the 4,000-sqm parcel, a meeting will be held next week to finalise the alignment and design of the pod taxi station.

In a separate development, the police department has expressed in-principle agreement for integrated development of the Kurla police quarters land parcel, and necessary procedural formalities are underway, MMRDA officials said. The MMRDA is also considering extending the 36 stations along the route to the nearest exit point for corporate offices in the BKC to provide direct connectivity to commuters, officials noted.

The larger 45,371-sqm plot, which fetched ₹5,400 crore in the auction, has been leased to Oberoi Realty for 99 years. It has a floor space index (FSI) potential of 1.95 million square feet, and is suitable for premium office and retail development, given its proximity to the BKC. There is scope for luxury residential housing too, as other big developers are constructing skyscrapers nearby.

Railway officials said they have been trying to monetise their plots for several years while also preventing encroachment. The plots are expected to generate substantial non-fare revenue while enabling private-sector participation in urban redevelopment, officials said.