On Sunday, Mumbaikars were greeted with a pleasant surprise as Maharashtra caretaker Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis tweeted about the inauguration of the long-awaited Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC)-Chunabhatti connector which is expected to reduce travel time by up to 30 minutes between Sion and Dharavi in Mumbai. He tweeted that the route was now open for public use starting Sunday evening.
In public interest, I declare that BKC-Chunabhatti Connector (flyover) stands open from today evening.
— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) November 10, 2019
With this, Mumbaikars will now save 30 minutes travel time & avoid traffic congestion at Dharavi and Sion junctions.#Mumbai #mumbaitraffic #flyover #Mumbaikar pic.twitter.com/GvrNDIgOrD
"A fish belly shaped elevated corridor, passing through BKC, Babubhai Compound, Central Railway (near Sion), Duncan Colony, Harbour Line (Chunabhatti station), Somaiya ground and lands at EEH, is our yet another step towards bringing ease in living for Mumbaikars," the caretaker Maharashtra CM added.
Drivers in Mumbai have always been posed with heavy traffic during peak hours that result in a delay for hours as they travel towards their respective offices. The connector comes amidst the cries of people demanding solution to the age-old problem.
Some of the first commuters on BKC-Chunabhatti Connector!
— MMRDA (@MMRDAOfficial) November 10, 2019
Their joy makes it all worth it!😊♥️ pic.twitter.com/FDQWKfdEWL
Whatta drive!!! Eeh to weh in 10 minutes flat on the BKC Chunabhatti flyover. Unbelievable! Thank you @Dev_Fadnavis for just giving us so much time back to live life! https://t.co/88IDF53mPp
— Richa S (@MumbaiMuggle) November 11, 2019
This is New Chunabhatti -BKC Flyover in #Mumbai pic.twitter.com/TyvLerjSms
— Madhusudan Thakkar (@madhusudan41) November 11, 2019
The route is a 1.6-km long, 17-metre wide and 4-lane flyover that provides a faster route to the arterial Eastern Express Highway. The BKC-Chunabhatti Connector is expected to greatly reduce traffic jams in the area, which is of Mumbai's renowned business hubs.
Mumbai Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President Nawab Malik had earlier tried to forcibly inaugurate the Chunabhatti-BKC flyover. Malik accused that the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) officials were deliberately not throwing open the road link to suit the schedule of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
The project had been long-pending and already had missed several deadlines before it finally saw the light of the day on Sunday. MMRDA had planned the project in 2014 at an estimated cost of ₹156 crore. The project aimed to provide motorists with a direct route from BKC to Eastern Express Highway.
Currently, only small vehicles from bikes to cars are allowed on the carriageway. Trucks and heavy vehicles are not allowed.