December 30, 2025: Excavation work has resumed along the Western Express Highway (WEH), this time on the southbound carriageway, as part of the ongoing Santacruz–Chembur Link Road (SCLR) extension project. The construction activity has restarted at the point where the new SCLR arm meets the WEH, an area that has earlier witnessed roadwork on the northbound side. While previous expansion on the northbound lane had raised concerns among residents due to reduced space near the Milan Subway service road, commuters and locals on the southbound side are more hopeful about the outcome.
During the earlier phase, residents had expressed dissatisfaction as the work narrowed the available space for pedestrians and vehicles using the service road leading towards the Milan Subway. This stretch witnesses heavy traffic during peak hours, often managed by traffic police personnel deployed along the route. However, locals on the southbound side believe that widening the main highway will encourage more motorists to stay on the WEH, thereby easing pressure on the service road.
Prakash Rajwar, a bike mechanic operating along the service road, said, “People only come onto the service road when the traffic on WEH is high. If they expand the main road, it is only going to give commuters space to go through and relieve congestion along the service road.”
The curved section of the WEH near the airport runway alignment has long been identified as a bottleneck, contributing to frequent congestion during rush hours. Local tempo driver Anil Kumar said, “The road is mostly used by those who want to go into the bylines along the service road, or by truck drivers who supply cargo or other materials to the airport. Once the road is widened, it will be easier for truck drivers and others to go from here, as those who are going towards Bandra will use the widened WEH.” Autorickshaw driver Neeraj Kumar echoed similar views, saying, “It will get easier for me to drive this way; I use this road for pick-ups and drops.”
A BMC worker present at the site told Mid-Day, “This work is very beneficial, and will help ease traffic. We are hoping to complete it in a few weeks.”
Officials said the widening follows traffic snarls observed after the opening of a flyover connecting Hans Bhugra Road to the WEH. Joint inspections by the MMRDA, traffic police and BMC led to the decision to widen the Agripada Subway to add a dedicated merging lane. The northbound widening of 3.8 metres has been completed, while work on the 3.6-metre-wide southbound lane is currently underway, with officials stating that the changes are already helping streamline traffic flow.
Source: Mid-day
