Tunnelling work on the Thane-Borivali Twin Tunnel project, billed as India's longest urban road tunnel at 11.84 km, is about to get underway, promising a dramatic reduction in commute time between Mumbai's two key suburbs, The Free Press Journal reported .
The twin tunnel will run beneath Sanjay Gandhi National Park, using advanced Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) technology to minimise disruption to the ecologically sensitive forest above.
The project is being executed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).
Two TBMs will drive the excavation. The first, named "Nayak", is being described as India's largest single-shield hard rock TBM. A second machine, "Arjuna", is expected to be deployed shortly after.
Together, the two machines are meant to speed up the boring process while navigating difficult geological conditions with precision.
Each tunnel will carry three lanes, including one reserved for emergencies. Cross-passages have been planned every 300 metres to allow safe evacuation if needed.
The tunnels will also feature modern ventilation, firefighting systems, smoke detectors and LED-based signage for traffic management.
At present, travelling between Thane and Borivali by road takes anywhere from 60 to 90 minutes depending on traffic. Once the tunnel becomes operational, that time is expected to fall sharply, offering commuters a direct and efficient alternative to the congested surface routes.
Beyond cutting travel time, officials said the project will help ease pressure on existing roads and bring down vehicular emissions by diverting a significant volume of traffic underground.
Authorities have described the twin tunnel as a long-term infrastructure investment that will reshape east-west mobility across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region for decades to come, marking a significant leap in the city's ongoing push to modernise its transport network.
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