Traffic to be eased between Eastern Express Highway and BKC as new connector to be opened next week

The new connector will help motorists coming from the Eastern Express Highway reach BKC without signals in just 15 minutes

Soon, the motorists travelling between Eastern Express Highway (EEH) and Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) and vice versa will get a sigh of relief as new connector on the route is likely to be opened next week to ease traffic congestion.

The 180-meter long missing link connector is expected to be opened for motorists in the coming week, sources said.

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Sources from Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) said that this 180-meter long connector will help motorists coming from the Eastern Express Highway reach BKC without signals in just 15 minutes. This is the third road connecting the eastern suburbs to BKC, joining the SCLR, BKC connectors, and the road below the BKC-Chunnabhatti connector.

MMRDA has constructed the elevated connector between Bandra-Kurla Complex 'G Block' and the Eastern Express Highway (EEH) to improve accessibility to BKC from EEH. The connector was opened to traffic on November 10, 2019.

The existing connectivity between WEH and EEH includes the Santacruz-Chembur Link Road, Sion-Dharavi-Kalanagar, and the EEH-BKC Connector-WEH. Considering the travel time for all the options, the BKC Connector option has the shortest travel time. As a result, maximum East-West traffic uses the BKC Connector during both morning and evening peak periods, leading to heavy congestion on the internal roads of BKC and BKC Avenue.

Currently, due to the increased number of vehicles entering the BKC area via the connector, BKC is experiencing heavy traffic congestion during peak hours (morning and evening), and commuters are facing long delays.

The existing link from NSE Junction to Avenue-3: Lane-1 (PNB) - Street-3 (One BKC) - BKC Connector is heavily congested.

To reduce traffic congestion at the BKC One Junction and BKC Connector Junction, the project was planned as a link from SEBI Building to Avenue-5, below the BKC Connector Road (missing link), Avenue-3 (We-Work), and BKC Connector. This project is being executed by Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority.

It may be noted that the travel distance in both links remains the same, i.e., 850 meters; however, the new option will offer signal-free movement with reduced travel time.

This link will distribute traffic to the BKC Connector and EEH in three alternative routes, resulting in a faster, optimized dispersal of traffic. The link will also provide uninterrupted connectivity for traffic coming to/from the Connector & NSE side, dispersing towards G-Block (e.g., MCA, Consulate, MTNL, etc.).