Mumbai to ban heavy vehicles during peak hours from February
From February 1, 2026, Mumbai will block heavy vehicles during rush hours to ease the city's growing traffic jams.
Citywide, these vehicles can't enter between 7-11am (some sources say 8-11am) and 5-9pm in South Mumbai, the rules are even tighter—no entry from 7am all the way to midnight.
Only essentials like ambulances, school busses, public (passenger) busses, vehicles carrying vegetables, milk, bread and bakery items, drinking water, petrol, diesel and kerosene, and government and semi-government vehicles get a free pass; however, luxury busses and other heavy vehicles that may be allowed elsewhere are barred from South Mumbai during 7am-midnight.
Who's exempt and where can trucks park?
Trucks carrying basics—think milk, veggies, bread—are still allowed.
Luxury busses can come into the city but have to steer clear of South Mumbai between 7am and midnight.
All other heavy vehicles need to park in private or approved lots; street parking is mostly off-limits except for a couple of water tankers.
Why are unions worried?
Transport unions say this move could mess with deliveries and lead to corruption or unfair exemptions.
Still, Joint Commissioner Amitesh Kumar says it's necessary: "slow-moving heavy vehicles block traffic and make journeys longer for other road users."
The city hopes these changes will help roads feel less packed as construction continues.