Mumbai gets key infra boost on I-Day eve: 2 bridges and a promenade among 5 projects inaugurated

The curved cable-stayed bridge that extends the Santacruz-Chembur Link Road is the third and final extension of the SCLR project, which began construction in 2016.

Mumbai got a big boost to its transport network as the Maharashtra government on Thursday inaugurated five major infrastructure projects in the city. These include a unique curved cable-stayed bridge that extends the Santacruz-Chembur Link Road (SCLR), a new arm of the Kalanagar Flyover, and a scenic promenade for pedestrians and cyclists along the Mumbai Coastal Road, Hindustan Times reported.

“These projects are set to significantly enhance Mumbai’s urban mobility, strengthen infrastructure resilience and boost workforce capabilities,” said Sanjay Mukherjee, metropolitan commissioner, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).

The most significant development is the cable-stayed bridge that passes over the Western Express Highway (WEH). This bridge is the third and final extension of the SCLR project, which began construction in 2016. Motorists coming from the eastern suburbs or from Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) via the SCLR can now skip the heavily congested Kalina junction and directly join the WEH after the Vakola Flyover.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis called the bridge a “proud achievement,” highlighting that it is South Asia’s first sharp-curve cable-stayed bridge. “This will make travel between the Eastern and Western Express Highways much easier,” he said during an online inauguration event at BKC. Deputy CM Eknath Shinde added that the new link would allow travel from Chembur to Dahisar without hitting a single traffic signal.

However, despite the bridge’s opening, after years of delays and at a cost of around Rs 1,000 crore, slow-moving traffic on the WEH remains a challenge. Fadnavis said the problem will be eased once the second phase of the Mumbai Coastal Road opens in the coming years.

Kalanagar Flyover gets a new arm Another project opened on Thursday was a 340-metre arm of the Kalanagar Flyover, costing Rs 20 crore. This addition will help vehicles coming from Dharavi’s T Junction travel toward south Mumbai and the Bandra-Worli Sea Link without passing through the busy Kalanagar junction.

Fadnavis noted that his earlier government had decided in 2015-16 to increase the number of entry and exit points to BKC. With the SCLR bridge and the new Kalanagar Flyover arm, five out of six planned access points are now complete. The last one, linking the Asian Heart Hospital Road with the Vakola flyover, is expected to open in December.

Mumbai Coastal Road promenade and 24/7 access Starting this Saturday, motorists will be able to use the first phase of the Mumbai Coastal Road in south Mumbai around the clock. Until now, it was open only from 7 am to midnight. The state also inaugurated 5.25 km of the planned 7.5-km-long coastal road promenade, replacing the old Worli Sea Face walkway.

The new promenade stretches from Priyadarshini Park to Haji Ali and from Baroda Palace to Worli. It includes four pedestrian underpasses at Bindumadhav Thackeray Chowk in Worli, the Worli Dairy School on Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan Marg, the Haji Ali junction, and the Akriti parking lot at Bhulabhai Desai Marg.

Better connectivity at Mumbai Airport Along with these road projects, MMRDA and the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) opened a new 100-metre foot overbridge at Terminal 2 of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.

MMRC posted on X (formerly Twitter): “No more rushing through traffic before your flight. From CSMIA–T2 Metro Station to Airport Terminal-2 in just a few steps. The bridge connects Lift Entry/Exit A1 at ground level directly to the terminal.”