Mumbai marked a historic milestone as the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) officially began excavation for the city’s deepest urban tunnel, a 9.96-kilometer underground road project connecting Orange Gate on the Eastern Freeway to Marine Drive. The Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) was flagged off by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and senior officials.
The project, valued at ₹8,056 crore and slated for completion in 54 months, is among India’s most complex urban tunneling efforts. Using a Slurry Shield TBM with a cutterhead diameter of 12.19 meters and weighing 2,400 tons, engineers will navigate beneath heritage precincts, high-rise clusters, railway corridors, and Metro Line-3 at depths reaching 50 meters.
Designed with two traffic lanes and an emergency lane in each tunnel, the project incorporates advanced ventilation, fire-resistant systems, intelligent transport technology, and high-performance lighting. Cross passages will be built every 300 meters to ensure safety.
Officials emphasized the tunnel’s transformative impact, promising to cut travel time by 15–20 minutes, reduce congestion, save fuel, and lower air and noise pollution while minimizing land acquisition. The tunnel will integrate seamlessly with the Mumbai Coastal Road and the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, strengthening East–West connectivity across the city.
Chief Minister Fadnavis hailed the launch as a “transformative leap in Mumbai’s infrastructure journey,” while Deputy Chief Minister Shinde called it a “proud moment” that reflects Maharashtra’s commitment to delivering high-impact projects. MMRDA Commissioner Sanjay Mukherjee described the initiative as a landmark achievement in urban connectivity, showcasing India’s ability to execute complex underground engineering with precision and global best practices.
With excavation now underway, the Orange Gate–Marine Drive tunnel sets a new benchmark in underground mobility and positions Mumbai at the forefront of modern infrastructure development.
