The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has completed the erection of key steel girders on the up and down arms of the Airoli–Katai Naka elevated road at Bharat Bijlee Junction in Airoli, taking forward work on the 12.71-km access-controlled corridor.
Heavy Girders Installed Overnight
The operation involved installing curved girders weighing 95 tonnes and 110 tonnes on the down arms using high-capacity cranes. The work was carried out during overnight traffic blocks from October 9 to 11, in coordination with the Navi Mumbai Traffic Police.
The newly erected arms are designed to provide direct entry and exit between Thane–Belapur Road and the elevated corridor, improving connectivity for motorists travelling between Thane and Navi Mumbai.
First Two Phases Near Completion
MMRDA is preparing to open the first two phases of the project, covering approximately 6 km, for traffic. Phase II, a 2.57-km elevated stretch connecting Airoli to Thane–Belapur Road, has been completed, while Phase I, spanning 3.43 km between Thane–Belapur Road and National Highway 4 at Mumbra, is in its final stages. Finishing works and integration of systems are nearing completion.
Officials have indicated that both phases will be commissioned simultaneously to provide uninterrupted movement from the Mulund–Airoli Bridge towards NH-4 through the new corridor.
Travel Time To Reduce Significantly
Once operational, the project is expected to reduce the Mulund–Katai Naka travel distance by around 7–8 km and save an estimated 35–40 minutes on journeys between Thane and Navi Mumbai. The corridor is also expected to ease congestion on existing routes, including Thane–Belapur Road, Mahape Road and Shilphata Junction.
The project comprises a six-lane elevated road and twin three-lane tunnels constructed using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM). The tunnels are equipped with safety infrastructure, including ventilation, firefighting systems, high-pressure water mist installations, intelligent lighting and variable message signboards. Each tunnel also has a refuge lane.
Work on Phase III, a 6.71-km elevated stretch from NH-4 to Katai Naka along the Kalyan–Shil Road corridor, is progressing. Scheduled for completion by October 2028, this final section will complete the 12.71-km corridor linking Airoli, Mumbra and Katai Naka.
The project is part of MMRDA’s “Mumbai in Minutes” initiative, which seeks to make completed infrastructure sections available to commuters in phases rather than waiting for entire corridors to be finished.
Once fully operational, the corridor is expected to strengthen road connectivity between Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Dombivli, Kalyan and Badlapur, while supporting the movement of goods between industrial and commercial centres across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
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