SCLR extension gets police nod

Traffic police finally gave NOC for a curved cable-stayed bridge above Vakola flyover

- Ateeq Shaikh

MUMBAI: After a couple of slowdowns in its eight-year trajectory, work on the Santacruz-Chembur Link Road (SCLR) extension project is finally expected to gather pace. This week, the Mumbai traffic police finally gave a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) to go ahead with the remaining critical element of constructing a curved cable-stayed bridge above the existing Vakola flyover. MMRDA officials said it would take another six months to complete.

MMRDA opened the SCLR, which includes Mumbai's first double-decker flyover, in April 2014. This connected Kapadia Nagar on CST Road to Amar Mahal Junction on the Eastern Express Highway. After it was thrown open to motorists, planners at MMRDA realised that it was leading to traffic snarls at multiple points, resulting in the need for the elevated extension project.