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The final stretch of the Santacruz Chembur Link Road (SCLR) extension, a new cable-stayed bridge over the Western Express Highway (WEH), will open for traffic on August 14, 2025. This much-awaited connector, executed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), promises to provide a direct, signal-free passage from Kurla to the Western Express Highway, easing traffic bottlenecks and reducing peak-hour travel times by 15-20 minutes. The project, which was delayed due to design and logistical issues, is a significant step in improving Mumbai's east-west connectivity.
The last leg of the extension of the Santacruz Chembur Link Road (SCLR), which includes a new cable-stayed bridge over the Western Express Highway (WEH), will open for traffic on August 14, 2025. Deputy Chief Minister Shri Eknath Shinde will flag off the bridge, which links CSMT Road in Kurla to the WEH near Vakola. The project, which was carried out by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), aims to decongest University Junction and the Hans Bhugra Marg signal, two of Santacruz's most critical bottlenecks, offering a direct, signal-free passage from the eastern to western suburbs. Advertisement
The new bridge, which has a 215-meter-long orthotropic steel deck, is the first in South Asia to feature a sharp horizontal curve of 100 meters. The deck was initially designed as a single 300-metric-tonne launch but was instead launched in two separate segments of 140 and 160 metric tonnes to ensure safe positioning and minimal disruption. It rises 25 meters above the WEH and is supported by a Y-shaped pylon that eliminates the need for mid-span piers, a design that protects Mumbai Metro Line 3 tunnels and other underground utilities below.
The project, which was initiated in 2016, faced multiple delays due to design changes, land issues, and the Covid-19 pandemic, pushing its cost from an original INR 450 crore to INR 650 crore. The MMRDA had penalized the contractor for poor progress, but work still encountered engineering and logistical challenges.
Commuters from Kurla, Chembur, Chunabhatti, and the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) can now move directly onto the WEH, cutting delays for both traffic bound for the airport and those driving to the western suburbs. The new elevated SCLR extension will allow motorists to bypass both the Hans Bhugra Marg-WEH and Vakola junction traffic signals, offering a significant reprieve to daily commuters navigating the city's crowded arterial roads.
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