June 28, 2025: The newly inaugurated Vikhroli Connector, designed to improve east-west connectivity in Mumbai, has quickly become a daily source of frustration for motorists. The three-lane bridge, opened on 14 June, has revealed critical design shortcomings—most notably the absence of a central divider and the presence of multiple speed breakers—leading to regular traffic congestion.
Rather than easing the commute, the bridge has added to gridlock, especially during peak hours. Heavy congestion is often reported at the western end, where the bridge meets Lal Bahadur Shastri (LBS) Road. Here, traffic bottlenecks frequently delay motorists by up to 30 minutes, with vehicles spilling into oncoming lanes and worsening the chaos.
The eastern end, which connects to the Eastern Express Highway (EEH), is similarly problematic. While access to Tagore Nagar is available via an underpass, many drivers make U-turns on the bridge itself, exacerbating traffic flow issues.
Sanjay Yevle, president of the Vikhrolikar Vikas Manch, said the problems were predicted well in advance. “We warned both the BMC and traffic police that the bridge would create a bottleneck. Now, it causes traffic every single day. We’ve even lost the option of a convenient U-turn to reach the station, forcing longer detours.”
Yevle said that a recent meeting with civic and traffic officials resulted in promises to resolve the issue within eight days. “Let’s see if they deliver.”
A senior civic official confirmed measures are underway, including the removal of unnecessary speed bumps and installation of temporary lane dividers. “Permanent dividers aren’t feasible just yet, so we’re adding barricades to direct flow—two lanes east to west in the morning and one in reverse during the evening rush.”
Joint Commissioner of Police Anil Kumbhare added that signal adjustments are also being planned to address alignment issues on the bridge.
Source: The Free Press Journal
