BMC initiates realignment of Goregaon-Mulund Link Road twin tunnels to boost Mumbai connectivity | File Photo
Mumbai: The BMC has initiated a realignment of the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR) twin tunnel, an infrastructure project aimed at enhancing connectivity across Mumbai. To facilitate excavation work, a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) is scheduled to arrive at the site in August. As the machine requires land for installation, the BMC is awaiting the Film City management in Goregaon East to provide the necessary land for this purpose.
The ambitious GMLR project involves the construction of twin tunnels, connecting the western suburbs at Dadasaheb Phalke Film City in Goregaon to the eastern suburbs at Mulund, extending up to Khindipada.
These twin tunnels, each 4.70 kilometers long, will run parallel to one another and pass entirely beneath the hills of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park. Additionally, a box tunnel will be constructed in the Film City area to provide access to the underground tunnels. This crucial work is being executed using advanced technology to ensure its successful completion.
Currently, work on the launching shaft for the tunneling, approximately 200 meters length by 30 meters width by 38 meters height, is underway. Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects), Abhijeet Bangar, inspected the piling work for the project on Thursday.
A TBM is scheduled to arrive in August for the excavation work. To accommodate this TBM, the Film city management will provide land at Josh Maidan, Welcome Maidan, and Sai Maidan. Bangar instructed local ward office to follow up with Film city management to ensure the land is made available soon.
The six-lane flyover under the GMLR project will be 1,265 meters high, constructed using box girders and high-grade concrete. Pedestrian bridges and automated sliding staircases will also be provided. Apart from the four vertical piers at the Ratnagiri Junction, the project is in its final stages. Bangar, along with experts, discussed the structural implementation for the junction, with the final decision pending feedback from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) before implementation.
Bangar said, “As per current plan, the construction of the flyover will take nine months. During this period, we have targeted to complete work on both sides of the Ratnagiri Junction, including the erection of piers, the span work between the two supporting pillars (piers), and related tasks, so that the flyover can be opened to traffic as soon as possible.” He has instructed the contractor that additional manpower be utilised to work in three shifts, ensuring that multiple teams operate simultaneously to speed up the process.
The BMC has set a deadline of October 2028 for the completion of the twin tunnels. The 12.2 km road will connect the Western Express Highway at Goregaon to the Eastern Express Highway at Mulund, improving connectivity across Mumbai. This new route is expected to cut travel time between Mulund and Goregaon from 75 minutes to just 25 minutes, offering a much-needed relief to commuters. The estimated cost of the project is around Rs 6,500 crores.
