Mumbai: ‘Systemic urban planning failure’

The construction of the new bridge is expected to be completed by October 2025. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

As Mumbai's planning agencies race to construct more flyovers and road overbridges (ROBs) to ease chronic traffic congestion, concerns are mounting over whether these projects are truly solving the problem or merely shifting bottlenecks to new areas. As part of the Elevated Chaos series, we highlighted several upcoming flyovers and ROBs across Mumbai, set to open in 2025 and early 2026, that are likely to worsen congestion at key junctions.

The northward extension of the SCLR to Santacruz junction, for instance, is expected to create chaos near Panbai International School on the Western Express Highway, further choking an already overcrowded junction. Similarly, the Vikhroli east-west connector, linking the Eastern Express Highway to LBS Road, is anticipated to cause long queues and traffic jams, especially near Vikhroli Station Road and Tagore Nagar Junction.

mid-day spoke to multiple stakeholders, including urban planners, transport experts, civil society organisations, architects, and officials from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), Public Works Department (PWD), Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), and Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). The growing consensus: Mumbai's flyover frenzy may be compounding, not curing, the city's transport woes.

Architects call for holistic planning
Dr Prof Anand Achari, principal of Vivekanand Education Society's College of Architecture (VESCOA), emphasised the need for better planning

"Mumbai's effort to improve connectivity with flyovers and ROBs is commendable, but their success depends on meticulous planning, especially regarding landings. Several upcoming projects - the Byculla cable-stayed ROB, the Vidyavihar bridge, the SCLR extension, and a new Vikhroli bridge - risk creating severe traffic congestion if not executed properly. Poorly designed landings can negate the benefits of these structures, forming new bottlenecks. The Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR) project, for example, promises reduced travel times between eastern and western suburbs. However, existing landing spots are already under strain. Similarly, the Coastal Road's approach roads have been criticised for their impact on surface traffic. Poorly planned flyovers don't just affect vehicles - they prolong travel times, increase fuel consumption, and heighten stress. Public transport users also suffer, as buses get trapped in congestion. The Byculla ROB, without proper integration, may simply relocate congestion rather than alleviate it. We must avoid repeating past mistakes. Flyovers should be part of a comprehensive urban mobility plan, not isolated projects. Thoughtful planning, traffic flow analysis, and pedestrian considerations are essential. If not, Mumbai's flyover obsession could turn into a recipe for traffic disaster."

From fast lanes to bottlenecks
Dhawal Ashar, head of Integrated Transport and Road Safety at WRI India, echoed concerns on proper vision

"Mumbai began building flyovers in the early 2000s. Since then, we have constructed over 75 flyovers, and we're still counting. While they have had several impacts on the city, a critical assessment of their performance - purely from a traffic and pedestrian movement perspective - reveals three major issues.

>> Flyovers create bottlenecks at their ends since on-and off-ramps are embankments with retaining walls, unlike mid-sections supported by pillars.

>> Many flyovers are designated crash hotspots. Mumbai has a high pedestrian mode share, meaning people frequently cross intersections. Flyover pillars often distort intersection geometry, making crossings unsafe. Crashes are common at flyover ends due to conflicts between speeding vehicles and pedestrians.

>> Flyovers create longer queues at downstream intersections. As traffic signals are bypassed, more vehicles reach junctions faster, causing severe delays.

The upcoming Metro network and an expanded BEST fleet, alongside Mumbai's upgraded suburban train system, have the potential to transform mobility. However, their success depends entirely on how we design and maintain pedestrian infrastructure. Junctions beneath flyovers must be carefully planned to prioritise pedestrian movement, and existing flyovers should be retrofitted to accommodate non-motorised transport.

Instead of merely increasing road capacity with flyovers, we need to assess new projects through a network efficiency lens. Mumbai is at a critical juncture. We must build humane mobility infrastructure that prioritises people, not just vehicles. The upcoming metro, bus, and suburban train systems will handle mass movement. The focus now must be on restoring a walkable Mumbai."

Ground-level issues
Pankaj Joshi, principal director of Urban Centre Mumbai, pointed out fundamental planning flaws

"Road alignments should be planned alongside bridge construction. During bridge work, roads should be widened based on estimated traffic needs. Removing road hurdles should be done simultaneously. Delays can escalate project costs. Mumbai has far less road space compared to other Indian cities. Even today, over 90 per cent of the population relies on public transport. Expanding BEST bus services would not only benefit commuters but also reduce private vehicle dependency."

Bridges without purpose
Milind Mhaske, CEO of Praja Foundation, puts it bluntly

"We are not pointing fingers at any political party or individual intent but at a systemic governance failure in urban planning. The flyovers and ROBs we see today are not isolated errors; they are symptoms of decades of uncoordinated, short-sighted infrastructure development. When Mumbai began expanding in the 1990s, we built without a comprehensive vision, and now we are simply compounding those mistakes. We urgently need to pause and rethink - not just renovate or extend structures, but design a truly integrated, sustainable, and people-centric mobility plan for Mumbai and MMR. The demand for quick fixes often comes from ‘perceived solutions' amplified by political pressure and interest groups, but government leadership must prioritise long-term, intelligent, and sustainable connectivity. Right now, we are offering instant, cosmetic solutions to structural problems. Without systemic coordination and a dedicated think tank, we will keep building bottlenecks instead of bridges to the future."

Missed connections
Jitendra Gupta, Transport expert cited the SCLR as an example of poor planning

"The mess at Kurla's Halav Pool could have been avoided if the SCLR flyover at Kurla depot had been extended to cross the Halav Pool. Instead, it has forced New Mill Road to become an elevated bridge, which could have been kept at ground level. Now, Metro 2B's alignment has created a height issue for vehicles using New Mill Road, leading to unnecessary adjustments. A single past mistake has resulted in a major planning blunder. Bureaucrats making these decisions don't seem to understand Mumbai's demographics, local issues, and necessities, leading to bad planning. Even local corporators and activists, who could provide valuable insights, are often excluded from planning teams."

MMRDA Responds

"MMRDA firmly believes that seamless coordination with all implementing agencies is the cornerstone of successful infrastructure development in MMR. Even before planning any project, we proactively engage with project implementation agencies to ensure there is no duplication of efforts or conflict in alignment. From the detailed project report (DPR) stage itself, we coordinate with civic corporations, state and central government departments, and statutory authorities to ensure every aspect is comprehensively planned. During execution, we work closely with utility service providers, transport departments, and local bodies to manage road closures, railway blocks, and other logistical aspects with utmost safety and efficiency. This collaborative approach ensures that our infrastructure projects are not only well-integrated and timely but also minimally disruptive and truly beneficial for the people of MMR."

Officials acknowledge gaps

Officials from various planning agencies admit that while flyovers are built to decongest key corridors, the lack of integrated planning and stakeholder consultations has led to unintended consequences. A senior BMC official, speaking anonymously, acknowledged: "We recognise the need for better coordination with urban planners and traffic police. However, consulting stakeholders for every road extension and flyover is impractical and would cause delays. Commenting on under-construction projects at this stage isn't appropriate." A traffic department official highlighted persistent coordination failures: "MMRDA and other agencies rarely consult us before executing projects. Flyovers end up occupying multiple lanes, worsening congestion. The SCLR landing near Panbai School and Metro pillars at the BKC connector are prime examples of poor planning. Traffic police must be involved in infrastructure planning from the start."