India, June 7 -- Can one of India's busiest business districts persuade its workforce to leave their cars at home? The city is about to find out. In a first-of-its-kind experiment, Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) will observe a weekly 'Public Transport Day' every Friday, with nearly 200,000 professionals being encouraged to travel by train, metro and bus instead of private vehicles as authorities attempt to tackle congestion, improve mobility and reduce the district's carbon footprint.

The initiative, which has received in-principle support from 90 large and small companies and organisations operating in BKC, seeks to transform commuting patterns in one of the country's busiest business districts. While car-free Sundays are a common feature i...