The BMC has invited a tender to appoint consultants to prepare a detailed project report for the multi-model tunnel network that aims to improve connectivity in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The most prominent aspect of the grand project is that it will be developed considering the MMR's growth in the next 30 years.
Objective of the ambitious project
Taking the objective of positively transforming the city's commuting pattern, the state government has come up with several big-ticket projects like the coastal road and the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link. The multi-model tunnel network is yet another extension to realise the vision of smooth travel. In October 2023, an eight-member committee, headed by BMC administrator Iqbal Singh Chahal, was appointed to prepare a master plan for the project.
The panel will identify locations for the transport tunnels, decide on construction time frame, study environmental impact and prepare project estimates. The committee is also working on making use of the tunnel system for flood mitigation during an emergency. An advisory firm will be appointed to study traffic, flooding patterns and the tunnel size. “The underground utilities network in the city was affected on July 26, 2005. So an idea to secure the underground utilities through the tunnel is also under discussion,” said a civic official.
