Mumbai’s long-awaited infrastructure upgrade, the extension of the Santacruz Chembur Link Road (SCLR), is approaching completion. According to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), nearly 95 per cent of the construction is done, and the flyover extension may be inaugurated in May 2025. First proposed in 2016, the project has experienced multiple delays due to design revisions, land acquisition challenges, the COVID-19 pandemic, and electoral-related holdups.
Direct Access to Western Express Highway for East-West Commuters
The SCLR, operational since 2014, has served as a critical route between Kalina in the west and Chembur in the east. However, due to the absence of a direct connection to the Western Express Highway (WEH), traffic bottlenecks at Vakola junction became a routine concern for commuters heading towards northern Mumbai. The ongoing extension aims to resolve this, with the final stretch ending near Panbai International School in Santacruz, creating seamless movement onto the WEH.
Complex Double-Decker Bridge with Sharp Curve
A standout engineering element of the project is a 215-metre cable-stayed segment constructed on an Orthotropic Steel Deck (OSD). With a sharp 70-degree curvature, this section rises 25 metres above ground level and passes nine metres over the existing Vakola flyover. The Y-shaped pylon supporting the deck allows the formation of a dual-layer flyover, claimed by MMRDA to be a first in Asia in terms of curve intensity and elevation combination.
Project Cost Jumps Amid Delays
Initially budgeted at Rs 450 crore, the total cost of the extension has now escalated to Rs 650 crore. The delay in securing traffic block permissions during the 2024 general elections was among the final setbacks before MMRDA resumed full-speed work in December last year.
Expected Benefits and Concerns
Once open, the new link is projected to reduce east-west travel time and ease congestion that previously clogged key junctions. The flyover is expected to benefit commuters to BKC, Navi Mumbai, and Mumbai Airport. However, some concerns remain over potential traffic congestion at the new landing point due to merging routes. Authorities are expected to implement peak-hour traffic management to control vehicular load at the WEH interface.
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