Mumbai’s Santacruz-Chembur Link Road (SCLR) extension is nearing the final stages of completion, set to transform east-west connectivity and ease traffic congestion across the city.
Spearheaded by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the project will create a seamless, signal-free corridor between the Eastern Express Highway and the Western Express Highway. This crucial infrastructure link is expected to significantly reduce travel time for daily commuters and divert traffic away from key bottlenecks.
A major highlight of the extension is a 215-metre-long cable-stayed bridge rising 25 metres above the Western Express Highway. This advanced structure employs Orthotropic Steel Deck (OSD) technology — the same high-performance engineering technique used in the construction of the iconic Atal Setu, India’s longest sea bridge. The use of OSD not only improves the bridge’s load-bearing capacity but also allows for faster construction with minimal traffic disruption.
One of the key benefits of the SCLR extension is its strategic bypass of the often-congested Vakola junction, offering direct and faster connectivity from Chembur in the east to Santacruz in the west. It will also significantly improve access to vital locations such as the Bandra-Kurla Complex and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.
Initially scheduled for completion in 2019, the project encountered multiple delays due to design revisions, land acquisition issues, and the COVID-19 pandemic. However, with nearly 95% of the work now completed, officials confirm that the corridor is expected to be open for public use by the end of May 2025.
The SCLR extension forms part of Mumbai’s larger urban transport strategy aimed at modernising infrastructure, improving connectivity, and boosting economic development through better mobility solutions.
Source: Construction World
