Mumbai today marked a milestone in its urban transport network with the inauguration of the Santacruz Chembur Link Road (SCLR) extension, featuring South Asia’s first cable-stayed bridge with a sharp horizontal curve. Developed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the project promises to reduce peak-hour travel times by up to 20 minutes, offering a significant reprieve to daily commuters navigating the city’s crowded arterial roads.
The extension, which spans the Western Express Highway near Panbai International School, aims to smoothen east–west connectivity and ease bottlenecks on the Western Express Highway, Bandra-Kurla Complex and LBS Marg. It also offers quicker access to Mumbai’s domestic airport, improving last-mile connectivity for travellers and easing cargo movement across the region. A standout feature of the project is its engineering innovation. The 215-metre orthotropic steel deck, elevated 25 metres above the highway, is supported by a Y-shaped pylon without mid-span piers. This design avoids disruption to the Mumbai Metro Line 3 tunnels and underground utilities, showcasing an integration of transport modes without compromising existing infrastructure.
The bridge is also notable for its eco-conscious design approach, which minimises land acquisition and preserves urban green patches by working within the existing road corridors. Officials involved in the project highlighted that such an approach reduces the carbon footprint associated with large-scale demolitions or rerouting, aligning with the city’s broader sustainable mobility goals. However, the road to completion was far from smooth. First conceptualised in 2016 as a follow-up to the original SCLR—operational since 2014—the extension faced multiple delays. Initial deadlines were missed due to land clearance issues, and work came to a standstill during the Covid-19 pandemic. Further setbacks occurred in 2024, with election schedules delaying approvals for traffic blocks. The prolonged timeline, coupled with rising material and labour costs, pushed the project’s expenditure from its original ₹450 crore estimate to ₹650 crore.
Urban planners note that while the project will provide immediate congestion relief, it should be part of a broader integrated transport strategy that prioritises public transit, cycling infrastructure, and pedestrian safety. They caution that without these complementary measures, the new link could face the same traffic pressures as other major city roads within a few years. For now, the SCLR extension stands as both a testament to engineering prowess and a reminder of the complexities of delivering large-scale urban infrastructure in a densely populated metropolis. If coupled with sustainable mobility initiatives, it has the potential to become a model for future east–west corridors in Mumbai and beyond.
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