Mumbai: The most awaited Vikhroli East-West connector that will connect Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg (LBS Road) and Eastern Express Highway (EEH) is set to open for vehicular traffic before monsoon, assured the civic official. However, the local activist claims that the work on the approach road on West side of the bridge has been delayed which would further push the deadline. 

The BMC first approved the Vikhroli connector project in 2018, with an original completion deadline of October 2020. However, delays arose due to several factors, including changes in the bridge's design, encroachments, land handover issues, and the pandemic. As a result, the deadline was extended multiple times—first to May 2023, then to December 2024. In response to ongoing concerns, the BMC has now assured that the bridge will be completed by May 2025.

Local activist Jayant Dandekar highlighted that east-west connectivity in Vikhroli has been an ongoing issue for years. "While there are east-west road overbridges at Ghatkopar and Kanjurmarg stations, Vikhroli residents have been forced to travel via these areas to move between the east and west. The new bridge, which was expected to provide much-needed relief to commuters, has instead become a source of frustration," said Dandekar. He pointed out that work on the west-side approach road has yet to begin, raising doubts about whether the project can be completed by the newly promised deadline.

Ganesh Shetty, another activist, raised concerns that if the roads in the area are not widened, the new east-west bridge will only exacerbate traffic congestion, particularly on the EEH. "Traffic is already a significant problem, and without expanding the road capacity, the situation will become even more challenging, causing further inconvenience to commuters in the future," he said. Additionally, he pointed out that the bridge work could only be completed on time if the civic body deploys additional manpower, but the progress is currently moving at a slow pace.

However, an official from the bridge department clarified, "Since the Vikhroli connector has an 'S' shaped girder, it requires time for precise installation. Currently, the girder is being assembled in the factory. All work is expected to be completed by May."

Vikhroli bridge - length - 615-metre, width 12 metres 

Estimated cost - Rs. 88 crores. 

Work extended - March 2021, May 2022 (due to covid), October 2022, May 2023.

New deadline : May 2025.