Mumbai: What Lies In Store At The End Of A Long Wait?
India's first double-decker flyover, Santacruz-Chembur Link Road (SCLR), undertaken under the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP) of MMRDA, will provide much-needed east-west connectivity in Mumbai. Starting from Vakola Junction on Western Express Highway (WEH) and extending up to Amar Mahal Junction near the Eastern Express Highway (EEH), the 6.45 km six-lane road was thrown open to commuters last week. After several cost overruns, the SCLR is estimated to have cost the MMRDA about Rs. 450 crore - a four-fold jump in cost since it was first projected.
The prolonged delay in completing the project was primarily due to the numerous cases against SCLR related to resettlement and rehabilitation and encroachment, among others. Another bottleneck was the bridge over Central Railways tracks, which took years to receive the final nod. However, all issues have been cleared and SCLR is now open for use.
Capacity – As per estimates given by the MMRDA, 80,000 vehicles are expected to use the SCLR daily.
Travel Time – The travel time between Chembur and Santacruz is expected to drop from the current 90 minutes to 20 minutes.
Access and Entry Points – CST Road, Amar Mahal Junction, Nehru Nagar and Lokmanya Tilak Terminus are the four locations for access and entry points. The top deck will cater to traffic between Amar Mahal junction and Vakola junction. The lower deck on the other hand will provide connectivity between Lokmanya Tilak Terminus and Kurla Diary in Nehru Nagar from Kalina.
