Santa Cruz-Chembur Link Road may be ready finally

In Mumbai, a crucial bridge over the central railway lines at Kurla to complete Mumbai's most sought-after east-west road connectivity -- the SCLR -- between western and eastern express highways is expected to be finally ready soon. Thus the SCLR -- Santa Cruz-Chembur Link Road -- may get open for traffic by this year end.

The work on the all important 109.8-metre rail over bridge connecting Kurla East and West has just begun and is shaping up. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) on April 12, launched two 40.5-metre girders over the Central Railway Lines. This rail over bridge is a crucial part of the 3.5-km long Santacruz-Chembur Link Road project.

UPS Madan, Metropolitan Commissioner, MMRDA, said the Santacruz-Chembur Link Road Project is basically a missing link and launching of the girders gives a lot of confidence what with an eye on December completion of the project.

The Authority, as far as this project is concerned, has faced many a hurdle in terms of permissions from railways, resettlement and rehabilitation of the project affected families and related court cases. The Santacruz-Chembur Link Road provides one more east-west connectivity to the city with a double-decker flyover - first of its kind in India - with one arm reaching Tilak Nagar Terminus for commuters travelling towards North and South, another to Nehru Nagar in Kurla East and another to LBS Marg in Kurla West, he added.

This link road is expected to carry more than 50,000 vehicles reducing traffic woes to a great extent and saving at least half an hour of the travelling time for the motorists. The Santacruz-Chembur Link Road will further be complemented by the connecting 1096-Metre long and 17-metre wide flyover at the Amar Mahal Junction which will help cure traffic congestion faced by motorists.

The link road provides connectivity to airport, eastern and western suburbs and to those who proceed towards Thane, Nashik, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Panvel and further.