Mumbai: Santacruz Chembur Link Road Extension to open by Feb-end

Mumbai: A stretch of Santacruz Chembur Link Road Extension, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Feb 10, will open for motorists by February-end. 

“We plan to open the 3.03km section between Kapadia Nagar and Diamond AWWA Hostel in the next few days,” said an official from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).

Final touches for motorists

The PM had inaugurated the entire stretch up to Vakola Nullah. Diamond AWWA Hostel is a few metres away from this water body as well as Western Express Highway.

MMRDA was looking at opening this portion earlier this month itself but couldn’t. For a fortnight now, the development authority has been giving it final touches for motorists to make use of the elevated road and decongest the CST Road below.

The only section that now remains for completion connects the Santacruz Chembur Link Road Extension at Vakola with Western Express Highway. “It is challenging work to have a cable-stayed bridge on a curvature of about 70 degrees that is above the existing Vakola flyover on the highway,” said Metropolitan Commissioner (MMRDA) SVR Srinivas.

June deadline

The officials have set June this year as the deadline to finish construction work on this cable-stayed bridge that will carry vehicular traffic towards Dahisar.

In April 2014, the Santacruz Chembur Link Road portion between Kapadia Nagar and Amar Mahal was opened for usage without any political ceremony as there was an election code of conduct in force back then. After opening, though, it was realised that there was congestion at Imam Ahmad Raza Chowk and CST Road towards University of Mumbai. Therefore, the need to have the extension of the elevated road.