Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) on January 1, 2023, floated a tender of Rs 6,327 crore for the construction of underground twin tunnels that will connect the Eastern Freeway with the Coastal Road. Each tunnel will have 2 lanes, one each for northbound and southbound traffic.
Touted to be the longest underground path in Mumbai, the parallel tunnels will run a distance of 3.5-km from Orange Gate to Marine Drive, and reduce the travel time between the two junctures to less than 10 minutes. Currently, it takes more than an hour to cover this distance due to traffic jams. This tunnel’s link with the Trans Harbour link will also give easy accessibility to the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport.
While the contractor is yet to be chosen for the project, the detailed project report (DPR) is ready. Set to be completed by 2027, the twin tunnels will be constructed 30-meter deep below the Mumbai Metro Line 3 (Aqua Line) and will also cross Western and Central railway lines.
This project will decongest the traffic from the Mumbai Trans Harbour link road to Navi Mumbai. Presence of several heritage buildings in South Mumbai makes flyovers or widening of existing roads unfeasible, leaving underground tunnels as the best possible solution.
