Mumbai: Mumbai’s proposed Orange Gate–Marine Drive underground tunnel project has moved a step closer to execution after its western exit was realigned to Jawahar Bal Bhavan in Girgaon, clearing the final roadblock for tunnelling to begin, according to a report by the Indian Express. The realignment is expected to allow tunnelling work to commence shortly on the Rs 8,056-crore infrastructure project, which is being developed as a key east–west transport link in south Mumbai.
The tunnel, planned to start from Orange Gate on the city’s eastern waterfront, will run beneath some of Mumbai’s most congested stretches before emerging on the western side near Marine Drive and the Charni Road railway station. The underground corridor will pass below densely populated neighbourhoods, heritage structures and the underground Aqua Metro line, making it one of the most technically challenging tunnel projects undertaken in the city.
At present, motorists travelling from the Eastern Freeway towards South Mumbai and the western coast are forced to negotiate traffic congestion along P D’Mello Road, cross railway tracks at the Carnac Bridge, now renamed Sindoor Bridge, and pass through the busy GPO junction. During peak hours, this five-kilometre stretch routinely takes 25 to 30 minutes to cover, often longer due to traffic snarls and signal congestion.
Once completed, the tunnel is expected to reduce this travel time to approximately five minutes. Officials have stated that the project will significantly improve connectivity between the Eastern Freeway, south Mumbai and the Coastal Road, while also providing a faster route towards the western suburbs. Given the high cost of construction, the tunnel is likely to be tolled.
The construction contract for the project has been given to Larsen & Toubro. On December 3, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis inaugurated the tunnel boring machine (TBM) at Orange Gate, marking the formal start of the execution phase.
According to officials of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority, the TBM has since been assembled, and tunnelling work is expected to begin in the coming weeks. A second TBM is scheduled to arrive later in 2026 to support the pace of excavation.
The project’s official deadline has been set for December 2028, with authorities targeting completion by mid to end 2028.
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