Mumbai gets faster east-west link as Santa Cruz-Chembur Link Road opens

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) on Friday threw open the long-delayed Santa Cruz-Chembur Link Road (SCLR) for traffic, after a delay of 11 years, giving a faster east-west link for the metro.

Politicians were missing at the opening ceremony due to the election code of conduct having come into force.

With the opening of the new link, motorists can enjoy direct connectivity between Western Express Highway (WEH) and Eastern Express Highway (EEH) via Kalina, Kurla and Tilak Nagar, saving 30 minutes of travel time.

Earlier, motorists had to depend on the circuitous Dharavi link road, which took anything between 45 minutes and one hour to travel from Santa Cruz to Chembur and vice versa.

The new link road will reduce travel time between the eastern and western parts of the city to just 15-20 minutes.

At least two lakh motorists, including two-wheelers, cars and heavy vehicles, are expected to use the SCLR every day, reports quoted a senior MMRDA official as saying.

''The speed limit on Amar Mahal Flyover will be 30kmph, and 60kmph on the remaining stretch."

Built at a cost of Rs450 crore, the 6.5km, six-lane SCLR comprises a 560-m-long Kurla-Kalina flyover over LBS Marg, which was opened in 2012; a 1.8-km-long double-decker flyover above the Harbour and Main line tracks in New Tilak Nagar; and two arms - one for Lokmanya Tilak Terminus and another for Kurla Dairy.

The link road, however, is not signal-free as the traffic police has suggested the installation of six or seven signals, although not all may be functional. There will also be patrolling by the traffic police with the MMRDA providing wardens to assist them in keeping a vigil on traffic.