For commuters in the city, Thursday will bring two infrastructure additions that could make a noticeable difference to daily journeys: the extension of Metro Line 2B to Chembur and the final stretch of the Santacruz-Chembur Link Road (SCLR) connecting the Western Express Highway (WEH) directly with Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC).
The Metro extension brings Metro 2B within walking distance of the Chembur suburban railway station. The SCLR extension, meanwhile, removes a missing road link between the WEH and BKC, allowing motorists to avoid the congested Vakola junction and the Kalanagar detour.
The Chembur station is the sixth station on the operational eastern end of Metro Line 2B, extending the service from Diamond Garden.
On its own, the addition of one station may appear modest. Its significance lies in where it is located.
The station is around 200 metres from Chembur railway station and about 100 metres from the V N Purav Marg monorail station. This puts three modes of transport metro, suburban rail and monorail within a short walking distance of one another.
For a commuter arriving in Chembur by suburban train, Metro 2B will provide another option for continuing the journey towards areas served by the metro. Similarly, commuters from the eastern suburbs can use the metro to reach Chembur and switch to suburban rail services instead of relying entirely on road transport.
This interchange potential is particularly important because the currently operational eastern section of Line 2B is relatively short. The first phase, between Mandale and Diamond Garden, opened in April. With Chembur now added, the line gains a more useful connection with Mumbai’s existing public transport network.
The larger Line 2B corridor is planned to eventually run from Mandale to DN Nagar, passing through BKC. Once the remaining sections become operational, the line is expected to provide a much stronger east-west public transport connection across the city.
For motorists, the more immediate change will come at the western end of the SCLR.
The 1.4-km final extension will directly connect the WEH at Vakola with Bharat Nagar in BKC. A motorist approaching from the WEH will be able to take the elevated link towards BKC instead of negotiating the Vakola junction and then taking the existing Kalanagar route.
The extension comprises a 500-metre, four-lane elevated carriageway and another 900 metres of two-lane entry and exit ramps.
The importance of this relatively short stretch comes from the gap it closes.
The SCLR was conceived as an east-west corridor linking the city’s two major north-south arteries the Eastern Express Highway and the Western Express Highway. But the absence of a direct connection to the WEH meant traffic still had to funnel through local roads and congested junctions, particularly around Vakola, Santacruz and Bandra East.
The new extension completes the 10.88-km SCLR corridor and provides a more direct route into BKC.
According to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the extension is expected to reduce travel time by up to 35 minutes.
The bigger benefit could be the traffic it takes away from roads around Vakola, Kalina and Bandra East. Vehicles heading to BKC from the western suburbs will have an elevated alternative instead of entering the local road network.
What opens: Chembur station, the sixth station on the operational eastern end of Metro Line 2B, extending the service from Diamond Garden.
Why Chembur matters: The station brings metro, suburban rail and monorail within a short walking distance, creating an important interchange point.
Chembur railway station Around 200 metres from the metro station
V N Purav Marg Monorail station Around 100 metres from the metro station
• Easier interchange between metro and suburban rail • Monorail connectivity within a short walking distance • More travel options for commuters from the eastern suburbs • Better access to Chembur and onward journeys towards south Mumbai • Makes the currently operational eastern stretch of Metro 2B more useful
Metro 2B will eventually run from Mandale to DN Nagar, passing through BKC and creating a much larger east-west public transport corridor.
Western Express Highway ↓ Vakola ↓ Elevated SCLR extension ↓ Bharat Nagar, BKC
WEH to Vakola congestion to local roads to Kalanagar detour to BKC
500 metres: Four-lane elevated carriageway
900 metres: Two-lane entry and exit ramps
Expected benefit: Up to 35 minutes reduction in travel time, according to MMRDA
The direct link is expected to reduce traffic pressure on Vakola, Santacruz, Kalina and Bandra East.
Sabah Virani is a journalist with The Indian Express’ Mumbai bureau, covering infrastructure, housing and urban issues. In the realms of technical fields, she brings out human stories and the pace of change ongoing in the city. Expertise Specialised Role: Tracking infrastructure in Mumbai and the wider Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Sabah’s reporting tracks progress on various projects. From bridges to metros, she mixes technical details with resourceful information. Core coverage areas: Sabah keeps a close eye on the activities of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and its projects across the MMR, including the metros, road projects, bridges, the bullet train, pod taxi, its role as a planning authority, and more. She also watches for developments from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra (CIDCO) and the GoM’s Urban Development department. Housing: Sabah also tracks developments in housing, particularly the workings of the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA). She also keeps a keen watch on the big redevelopment projects ongoing in Mumbai, including the Dharavi Redevelopment Project, Motilal Nagar, Kamathipura, BDD Chawl redevelopment, among others. Occasionally, she reports on the environment, biodiversity, waste, arts and culture. Experience: Prior to working for the Indian Express, Sabah covered the municipality, civic issues and miscellaneous for Hindustan Times. Before that, she covered all things Mumbai for the online publication Citizen Matters. She has also worked as an editorial assistant at FiftyTwo.in. ... Read More
