Mumbai: Traffic on the Santacruz-Chembur Link Road (SCLR) and Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR), key routes connecting the western and eastern suburbs, is expected to slow starting Tuesday evening after 5 p.m. due to anticipated VVIP movement in Ghatkopar and Kandivali. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to visit as part of the Maharashtra election season campaign.
As per Shah’s schedule, he will first visit Ghatkopar’s Pant Nagar area at 6:10 p.m., addressing the campaign at the General Arun Kumar Vaidya Playground. Following this, he is expected to proceed to Kandivali’s Mahavir Nagar, arriving at Saptah Maidan near Kamla Vihar Sports Club at 7:55 p.m.
According to traffic police sources, Shah will land at Mumbai Airport following his campaign in Jharkhand. “He will travel from Mumbai Airport (Juhu) to Ghatkopar via the Santacruz-Chembur Link Road (SCLR) and then proceed to Kandivali, passing through the Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR) and the Western Express Highway,” the source stated.
The challenge, according to several traffic officials, lies in the timing of Amit Shah’s arrival, which remains uncertain. “It will be during weekday evening peak hours. Preparations will start at 5 p.m., though traffic won’t be halted initially. About 15 to 30 minutes before the convoy approaches, traffic will be temporarily stopped, resuming once the convoy passes. It could take an additional 30 minutes for traffic to flow smoothly afterward,” a traffic police official explained.
On Monday evening, the Mumbai Traffic Police announced the traffic update via ‘X’ but did not specify timings, leading to confusion among netizens. “Sion bridge is closed. BKC is jammed. These are the only alternatives, and even they are blocked. Please declare a bandh or inform our offices to let us go early tomorrow,” one user commented. Another wrote, “While we understand that top politicians don’t share their timetables for jamming roads, you could at least define ‘evening,’ a term you’ve used.” A third user added, “If it’s planned, could you provide the time and duration so we can plan accordingly, or is that too much to ask?”
