Mumbai's Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR) project has moved a step closer to the tunnelling phase, with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) accelerating preparations for the twin underground tunnels planned beneath the Sanjay Gandhi National Park corridor.

Officials said assembly of the first Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) at the launch shaft near Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari is expected to be completed by mid-June.

Work on assembling the second machine is also progressing simultaneously, setting the stage for excavation activities to begin in the coming months.

Before tunnelling can commence, the first TBM will undergo a comprehensive Site Acceptance Test (SAT), a critical exercise designed to verify the performance, safety and integration of all systems.

The evaluation will cover mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, control and safety functions to ensure the machine is fully operational and compliant with project requirements.

The progress was reviewed during a site inspection by Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijit Bangar, who assessed the status of the twin tunnel works and related infrastructure.

Authorities are targeting the start of excavation work on both tunnels as per schedule, with tunnelling expected to be completed by October 2028 and the entire GMLR project slated for completion by December 2028.

The 12.20 km GMLR corridor is expected to become one of Mumbai's most important east-west connectivity projects.

A key component of the scheme is the construction of two parallel tunnels stretching 4.70 km beneath the hilly terrain of the national park.