In a significant move to alleviate traffic congestion and improve accessibility, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) will be opening a new signal-free connector between Eastern Express Highway (EEH) and Bandr a-Kurla Complex (BKC) next week.

The 180-meter- long missing link connector promises to cut the travel time by 15 minutes. "The finishing works are on and we will be opening the connector within a day or two," a senior MMRDA official said.

In a bid to enhance accessibility to the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) from the Eastern Express Highway (EEH), the MMRDA constructed an elevated connector between BKC’s ‘G Block’ and EEH. This vital link was opened to traffic on November 10, 2019.

According to the official, the existing routes connecting the Western Express Highway (WEH) and EEH—namely, the Santacruz Chembur Link Road, Sion-Dharavi-Kalanagar, and EEH-BKC Connector-WEH—were assessed for travel efficiency. It was determined that the BKC Connector offers the shortest travel time, resulting in heavy use during peak morning and evening hours. Consequently, this has led to significant congestion on BKC’s internal roads and BKC Avenue.

"Currently, the increasing number of vehicles entering BKC via the connector has exacerbated traffic congestion during peak hours, causing substantial delays for commuters. The existing link from NSE Junction to Avenue-3, including Lane-1 (PNB) and Street-3 (One BKC), is particularly congested. To address this issue, MMRDA proposed a new link from the SEBI Building to Avenue-5, below the BKC Connector Road (missing link), and continuing to Avenue-3 (We-Work) is underway," the official said and added that it is aimed to provide a signal-free route with reduced travel time, despite the distance remaining the same at 850 meters.

The new link will distribute traffic more efficiently across three alternative routes to BKC Connector and EEH, facilitating faster and optimized dispersal.

It will also ensure uninterrupted connectivity for traffic coming to and from the Connector and NSE side, allowing smoother movement towards G-Block, including areas like MCA, Consulate, and MTNL.