Mumbai, October 24, 2026: Despite corporators questioning a 52% cost escalation in repairs to the Swaminarayan Flyover on the Eastern Express Highway (EEH) and three flyovers on the Santacruz–Chembur Link Road (SCLR), the BMC’s Standing Committee approved the proposal, with civic officials citing commuter safety as paramount.
The SCLR repair estimate has jumped from Rs 31.76 crore to Rs 48.03 crore—an increase of Rs 16.27 crore—triggering questions over the delay in executing the work despite repairs being recommended in 2023.
AIMIM group leader Jamir Kureshi and a Shiv Sena (UBT) corporator sought an explanation for the delay and the need for a fresh assessment.
Corporators Question Repair Delays
Congress group leader Ashraf Azmi warned that lakhs of vehicles use the corridor daily and questioned why repairs were delayed despite the safety concerns. He demanded accountability from the BMC, stressing that postponing essential work could put commuters’ lives at risk.
Additional Municipal Commissioner Avinash Dhakane said the bridge was transferred to the BMC by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) in 2015.
Following a structural audit, experts reassessed the repair requirements before the work was taken up. Acknowledging that such a cost variation should not have occurred, Dhakane maintained that urgent repairs could not be stalled at the expense of public safety. The Standing Committee subsequently approved the proposal.
Structural Audits Flag Multiple Defects
The 6.45-km SCLR connects the Western Express Highway in Santacruz to the Eastern Express Highway in Chembur. Developed under the World Bank-funded Mumbai Urban Transport Project at a cost of Rs 454 crore, the corridor was subsequently transferred to the BMC by the MMRDA in 2015.
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Structural audits flagged cracked girders, damaged UPVC pipes, deteriorating footpaths, rust, peeling paint and unchecked vegetation across the flyovers, highlighting the extent of repairs required to ensure structural integrity and commuter safety.
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