Fadnavis launches 9.96-km Mumbai tunnel work
Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis Wednesday kicked off work on the ambitious Orange Gate to Marine Drive Urban Tunnel Project with the formal launch of the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM). Estimated at Rs 8,056 crore, the 9.96-km corridor is set to be the country’s largest urban road tunnel
Describing it as an ‘engineering marvel,’ Fadnavis stated that the project will revolutionize travel across Mumbai by establishing an ultra-fast east–west corridor that effortlessly links the western suburbs, Coastal Road, Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (Atal Setu), Bandra–Worli Sea Link, and the forthcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport.
Highlighting the project’s technical complexity, the chief minister stated that the tunnel will pass beneath approximately 700 properties, century-old heritage buildings, and the Western and Central Railway lines. It will be 50 metres below the operational Metro Line 3.
The total length of this twin tunnel is 9.96 km, with 3–3.5 km stretches featuring two lanes plus an emergency lane. It will include advanced ventilation, ITS smart mobility technology and an AI-enabled traffic management system for safety and efficiency. The project completion is planned for December 2028, with efforts to finish six months early. Once complete, this tunnel will save thousands of hours for thousands of people.
“People can reach South Mumbai from the Eastern suburbs in 20 to 25 minutes via the Eastern Freeway. However, they subsequently face traffic snarls lasting 30 to 45 minutes for their onward journey. Furthermore, the commuters from the Western Suburbs and South Mumbai have to traverse a long route to reach the Navi Mumbai Airport. The Orange Gate tunnel was conceptualized as a solution to this problem,” he added.
“Once the Worli-Sewri Sea Link opens next year and the Coastal Road connection is established, people from the western suburbs will have two options to reach the Navi Mumbai Airport,” the CM said.
Deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde described the project as a turning point for Mumbai’s transport network, similar to the gains from Metro lines 3, 2A, and 7. He said the advanced methods used for this deeper tunnel would further reshape the city’s travel patterns.
The project targets completion by December 2028, with the implementing agency aiming to finish the work six months earlier. The work has been entrusted to Larsen and Toubro (L&T).