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MMRDA has planned to build a 70 km long integrated tunnel road network in Mumbai. This tunnel will connect BKC, Airport, Coastal Road. This will reduce traffic jams in Mumbai and travel will be easier.
New Delhi. To end the problem of traffic jam in the country’s commercial capital Mumbai, an underground road network will now be built. Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) will build a 70 km long integrated tunnel road network to connect Mumbai Coastal Road, Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. Work on the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of this project has started. The proposed tunnel system will be approximately 70 kilometers long and will be built in three phases. An official said that these tunnels will connect major commercial and transportation centres. With this, access to the coastal corridor and high-speed rail network will be possible without getting stuck in traffic jams. MMRDA Metropolitan Commissioner Dr Sanjay Mukherjee (IAS) said that currently the technical and environmental feasibility of the project is being studied.
According to a report in Indian Express, the construction of underground road network will reduce the traffic pressure on busy roads like Western Express Highway (WEH) and SV Road. The first phase will be 16 km long, which will extend from Worli Sea Link to BKC and Airport. It will connect the coastal road, bullet train terminal and airport loop. The second phase will be 10 km long and will connect the Eastern Express Highway (EEH) with the Western Express Highway as an East-West connector. This will make traveling from one end of the city to the other easier and the journey will take less time. The third phase will be the largest, whose length will be 44 kilometers. It will run the entire length of the city in a north-south direction and will serve both passenger and freight traffic.
Preparation to build several underground corridors
The tunnel network is part of the broader plan of MMRDA to develop several underground corridors in Mumbai. These corridors will be connected to the Coastal Road, Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link (MTHL) and other east-west connectivity routes. MMRDA is already working on two major tunnel projects, Thane–Borivali Twin Tunnel (11.85 km) and Orange Gate–Marine Drive Tunnel (9.23 km). BMC is also building the Goregaon–Mulund Link Road Tunnel (12.2 km), which will connect the eastern and western suburbs. Upon completion of all these projects, a multi-layered network will be created in the city, which will reduce pressure on surface roads and reduce travel time between key areas.
Bids will open on 17th November
The proposal to appoint a consultant for the 70 kilometer road tunnel project was approved on September 30. The tender was issued on 9 October, pre-bid meeting was held on 17 October and bids will open on 17 November. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that this project will help Mumbai to move forward quickly and efficiently. He said that Mumbai’s progress depends on how fast people and goods can move from one place to another. The tunnel network will make travel across the city smooth and safe by connecting roads, metro and coastal roads.
