Mumbai Begins Goregaon-Mulund Link Road Tunnelling

The construction of the underground stretch of the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR) is set to begin this weekend, marking a significant milestone for the project. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has completed assembling the first Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) at Goregaon and is awaiting the Chief Minister's nod to begin the tunnelling work.

The 12.20-km GMLR project aims to improve connectivity between Mumbai's western suburbs and the Eastern Express Highway. The project's key challenge is a 6.65-km twin tunnel running from Film City under the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, forest areas, hillocks, and the Tulsi-Vihar catchment zones before reaching Khindipada in Mulund.

Two Japanese-made TBMs will be used to bore a 4.45-km underground corridor. The first machine, positioned on the northern alignment, will excavate the carriageway linking Goregaon to Mulund, with the second TBM expected to join after assembly. The tunnelling milestone comes nearly a year after the TBMs began arriving in Mumbai in July 2025.

The GMLR project is estimated to cost nearly Rs 14,000 crore and is targeted for completion by 2028. The 12.2-km project will be executed in four phases, beginning with road widening, followed by flyover construction in the western suburbs and the TBM-driven twin tunnels. The subsequent phases include a road-over-bridge at Nahur and an elevated flyover with cloverleaf interchanges extending up to Airoli.

The project is expected to significantly improve connectivity between Mumbai's western suburbs and the Eastern Express Highway, reducing travel time and congestion. The BMC has been working to complete the project on time, and the start of underground tunnelling marks a major step forward.

The use of TBMs will allow for faster and more efficient excavation of the tunnel, reducing the impact on the surrounding environment. The project has been designed to minimize disruption to local residents and businesses, with careful planning and execution to ensure that the work is completed with minimal inconvenience.

The completion of the GMLR project will have a significant impact on the city's infrastructure, improving connectivity and reducing congestion. The project is a major step forward in the development of Mumbai's infrastructure, and its completion will have a positive impact on the city's residents and businesses.

In conclusion, the start of underground tunnelling for the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road project marks a significant milestone in the development of Mumbai's infrastructure. The project is expected to improve connectivity, reduce congestion, and have a positive impact on the city's residents and businesses.