In a first-of-its kind project involving India’s longest proposed road-tunnel, the western and eastern suburbs of Mumbai would be connected through a tunnel passing below the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP).
Incidentally, SGNP is the only national park in the world to be located within a metropolitan area.
The distance between the western suburb of Borivali and eastern suburb of Thane in the Mumbai metropolitan region (MMR) would be bridged in 15 to 20 minutes as against the one to two hours currently - depending on the traffic on the Ghodbunder Road.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is the nodal agency for the project.
The estimated cost of this project is Rs 11,235.43 crore and the twin tunnel connecting Thane- Borivali would make travel faster for commuters, as well as aid to minimise current traffic congestion on Ghodbunder Road, Public Works Minister Eknath Shinde said on Thursday.
The route would feature an 11.8-kms-long connecting road with 10.25-km-long two three-lane tunnels built beneath the SGNP, running from Tikuji-Ni-Wadi in Thane to the Western Expressway in Borivali.
Considering that the tunnel will pass through SGNP, the MSRDC has taken special precautions to avoid causing harm to the park's biodiversity by using tunnel boring machinery to avoid upsetting the lives of the park's animals and flora.
The Thane-Borivali tunnel would necessitate the acquisition of 16.54 hectares of private land and 40.46 hectares of land within the Sanjay Gandhi National Park. The project, which is scheduled to begin in March 2022, is expected to take five and a half years to complete.
There will be cross tunnels every 300 metres, and the design will allow vehicles to travel at a top speed of 80 kilometres per hour.
The 60-minute trip time will be cut to 15 to 20 minutes, resulting in time savings and a reduction of 10.5 lakh metric tonnes of fuel. The initiative will contribute to a 36 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, assisting in the maintenance of environmental balance.
Safety features will be implemented, including a drainage system, a smoke detector, and a jet fan. Special measures will be taken to ensure that the air within the tunnel remains clean and fresh.The Thane-Borivali subterranean tunnel's detailed project report (DPR) has been finished, and land acquisition work has begun.
Additionally, the project is exempted from the requirement of environmental approval.
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