Motorists travelling from Andheri West to the Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR) may soon get some relief, as Phase 1 of the double-decker JVLR flyover is expected to open by June 2026. A ground visit by mid-day showed that construction is progressing rapidly along the alignment.
At present, commuters from Lokhandwala, Oshiwara, Four Bungalows and Seven Bungalows towards JVLR face intense congestion. Major bottlenecks are seen at Veera Desai Road and Captain Suresh Samant Marg leading to Jogeshwari SV Road. During peak hours, the 3.7 km stretch between Swami Samarth Nagar Lokhandwala Circle and the Balasaheb Thackeray Trauma Centre on the Western Express Highway can take 30 to 45 minutes.
MMRDA officials told mid-day that work on the arterial east-west connector is on schedule. The 5.08 km elevated corridor, linking New Link Road near Infinity Mall in Andheri West to Poonam Nagar on JVLR in Jogeshwari East, was handed to MMRDA after its alignment overlapped with Metro Line 6.
A MMRDA official said, “Of the total flyover length, 0.93 km was built by the BMC. MMRDA is constructing the remaining portion in two parts. The first part is a 2.58 km double-decker flyover, with the lower deck for vehicles and the upper deck for Metro Line 6. This is being built by DMRC and is currently 80 per cent complete.”
The second part is a 1.557 km single-level flyover, including a 120 metre cable-stayed bridge crossing the Western Express Highway and the operational Metro Line 7. The cable-stayed bridge will be a major engineering landmark on the corridor.
“The Missing Link flyover is 50 per cent complete. Phase 1, from Infinity Mall to JVLR junction, is expected to open by June 2026. Phase 2, from JVLR junction to Poonam Nagar, including the cable-stayed portion, is expected to open by March 2027,” the official added.
Officials said the project has seen delays due to limited working hours on JVLR, the need to maintain traffic during construction, coordination with Metro Line 7 operations, shifting utilities and removing encroachments at Veera Desai junction and Pratap Nagar.
Once complete, the flyover system will create a continuous elevated corridor between western and eastern suburbs, easing congestion at Infinity Mall junction, the SV Road junction and the JVLR junction. It promises smooth, signal-free travel and significantly reduced commute times for thousands of motorists.
Residents Speak
Vinit Parikh, Lokhandwala resident
‘During peak hours, it takes 25 to 40 minutes to reach JVLR from Lokhandwala. This connector will be a game-changer. It eliminates multiple signals and detours and offers a seamless link to JVLR’
Aniket Iyengar, Lokhandwala resident
‘We have been waiting for this. Once operational, it could save commuters 45 minutes to an hour lost in daily traffic jams’
0.93
km already completed by BMC
2.58 KM
double-decker flyover (vehicles below, Metro Line 6 above)
1.56 KM
single-level flyover and ramps (missing links)
Approx project cost
Rs 768.85 cr
Total length
5.08km
