Mumbai's Goregaon-Mulund Link Road Project Reaches Major Milestone As First TBM Ready For Twin Tunnel Excavation

Mumbai: The first Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) for the ambitious Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR) twin tunnel project has been fully assembled, with the final integration of its components set to be completed on Thursday, marking a major milestone ahead of the start of excavation.

Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijit Bangar said, "The TBM would begin tunnelling once all technical and safety tests are completed and certified." The machine has successfully undergone integrated trials covering its mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, control and safety systems.

The 12.2-km GMLR will provide a direct east-west link between Mumbai's eastern and western suburbs. Its engineering highlight is a pair of 4.7-km-long parallel tunnels connecting Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari in Goregaon to Khindipada in Mulund. The tunnels will have a diameter of 14.2 metres, narrowing to 13 metres beneath the Sanjay Gandhi National Park to minimise the impact on the forest, hilly terrain and water bodies.

The project will use two advanced TBMs imported from Japan. The first TBM will excavate the tunnel, while the second is in the final stages of assembly. Once commissioned, both machines will simultaneously bore the twin tunnels, significantly accelerating construction.

Built on Single Shield Earth Pressure Balance (EPB) Hard Rock technology, the TBM is designed to excavate safely through Mumbai's challenging basalt rock formations. It features a 14.49-metre cutterhead and is 83 metres long, comprising a 22-metre shield and a 61-metre three-deck backup gantry. It is also equipped with a fully automated muck-handling system, including a 340-metre conveyor network, cross conveyor and stacker conveyor, enabling faster debris removal, reducing manual intervention and improving operational safety, said a civic official.

Targeted for completion by February 2029, the GMLR is expected to transform east-west connectivity by providing a faster route from Goregaon, Kandivali and Borivali to Mulund, Thane and Navi Mumbai via the Eastern Express Highway and Airoli, while easing congestion on Mumbai's existing arterial roads.

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