The BMC has recently initiated a realignment of the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR) tunnel, an infrastructure project designed to improve connectivity across Mumbai. The realignment aims to bypass tribal farmlands in Film City, Goregaon East, addressing concerns related to environmental and community impact. The decision to adjust the alignment has led to an additional cost of Rs. 250 crores, which has now received administrative approval. The ambitious GMLR project involves the construction of 4.7 kms of twin tunnels running beneath the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) hills.
The construction of the proposed twin tunnels, which were initially planned to pass through hillocks, forests, and farmlands, faced a setback due to opposition from the tribal communities in Habale Pada and Nagarmudi Pada, located within Film City. Considering the concerns of the tribal communities about the potential impact on their farmlands and livelihoods, the BMC decided to realign the proposed twin tunnels. The new alignment shifts the tunnels 600 meters away from the originally proposed location in Habale Pada, effectively bypassing the farmlands. "The work on launching the twin tunnels 600 metres ahead has been started at Habale pada. Since the area is situated within the Film city we also took permission from them," said a civic official.
The tunnel boring machine (TBM) will be brought from China in March 2025, after which excavation for the tunnels will begin. VJTI will be appointed to a third party audit to assess the design, construction, and safety standards of the tunnels. However, the realignment of the tunnels has raised the cost by Rs. 250 crores, while the original cost of the tunnels was Rs.6,301 crore. "The additional cost has recently received approval from the BMC administration," said a civic official.
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.
