The country’s longest urban tunnel is being built in Mumbai; Travel will be eco-friendly

Thane-Borivali Twin Tunnels. There is a big and happy news for Mumbaikars. With the Thane-Borivali twin tunnel project now underway, the journey between Thane and Borivali will soon be completed in just 15 minutes. The project is being implemented through the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). Currently, the 23 km journey between Thane and Borivali takes about 60 to 90 minutes. The major reason for this delay is the huge traffic jam on Ghodbunder Road. Once the tunnel is completed, the journey time is likely to come down drastically to just 15 minutes.

This project started on 19 May 2023. It is expected to be completed by May 2028. The total length of this project is 11.84 km. Of these, 10.25 km will have twin tunnels. A major part of the tunnel passes under the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, an ecologically sensitive area. To minimize the impact on the environment, sophisticated tunnel boring machines are being used. These machines allow construction to continue with minimal disruption. Thane-Borivali Twin Tunnels

One of the machines used in this project is ‘Nayak’, India’s largest single shield hard rock tunnel boring machine. Another machine named ‘Arjun’ is also likely to be deployed soon. According to officials, these machines will make the mining process safer and will cause minimum disruption.

Each of the twin tunnels (Thane-Borivali Twin Tunnels) will have three lanes. This includes an emergency exit. Crosswalks will be constructed every 300 meters for safety and ease of access. These tunnels will also include modern systems such as ventilation, fire fighting equipment, smoke detectors and LED-based information displays.

The project also includes construction of connecting roads. These roads will connect Ghodbunder Road in Thane with the Western Express Highway. This is expected to improve overall connectivity in the region. Officials see the Thane-Borivali twin tunnel as a long-term infrastructure project. The project is seen as a step towards sustainable urban development.