The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) will open the Santacruz–Chembur Link Road (SCLR) extension to traffic on August 14, offering a direct, signal-free connection from Kurla to Panbai School near the airport.

Linking the Eastern and Western Express Highways, the route is expected to cut peak-hour travel times by 15–20 minutes and ease congestion in Vakola, Bandra Kurla Complex, and LBS Marg. A landmark feature is its cable-stayed bridge, the first in South Asia with a sharp 100-mtrs. horizontal curve. The 215-mtrs. orthotropic steel deck, rising 25 mtrs. above the WEH, features a two-lane carriageway (10.5m–17.2m wide) supported by a Y-shaped pylon, eliminating mid-span piers to protect Metro Line 3 tunnels and utilities below.

The project also includes upgraded junctions, improved drainage, and pedestrian amenities, and will integrate with Phase II of the SCLR network. The inauguration is likely to be held a day before Independence Day, marking a major step toward reducing Mumbai’s east–west traffic bottlenecks.