December 2028 has been set as the deadline for the completion of the Borivli-Thane underground tunnel beneath the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) in Mumbai. In fact, the Maharashtra government wants every infrastructure project to be planned in such a manner that they are all executed within a three-year timeframe. On Thursday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis chaired a meeting to review the proposed tunnel project work.
In the meeting, Fadnavis urged the officials and authorities concerned to complete the tunnel work by December 2028. “All infrastructure work should be planned in such a manner that the entire work is completed within a three-year timeframe,” Fadnavis emphasised during the meeting.
Besides Fadnavis, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority commissioner Sanjay Mukherjee, Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, and senior officials from the Thane Slum Rehabilitation Authority and the forest department were present for the meeting held on Vidhan Bhavan premises.
The twin tunnel project, connecting Thane (Tikuji-Ni-Wadi) and Borivli-Magathane, spans 11.84 km and is expected to cut travel time between Thane and Borivli from the current one hour to just 15 minutes. The government believes that besides easing congestion and saving fuel for motorists, the project is expected to reduce carbon emissions annually by 1.4 lakh metric tonnes.
According to the statement issued by the chief minister`s office, the total cost of the project is estimated at around Rs 12,057 crore. The tunnel will be developed in two packages — one covering 5.75 km on the Borivli, which is expected to cost R6178 crore and the other spanning 6.09 km on the Thane side, which will cost Rs 5879 crore.
During the meeting, the CM also instructed authorities to pay special attention towards ensuring there is proper air circulation within the tunnel and the rehabilitation of those affected by the project. “Officials should immediately secure additional space in SGNP as well as permission from the forest department for the second phase of the project,” a release quoted him as saying. To ensure speedy work and meet the deadline, Fadnavis suggested exploring options to acquire permission to work during the nighttime.
Uttan-Virar Sea Link design picked
The MMRDA on Thursday presented a revised proposal for the Uttan-Virar Sea Link (UVSL) to Fadnavis and Shinde. The proposed link should be connected to Vadhan Port and Samruddhi Expressway. The UVSL will be connected to the Vadodara-Mumbai Expressway through the Virar connector. The authority presented six options for the project design along with a detailed project report, with a cost proposal ranging from Rs 87,427 crore to R52,652 crore, in the meeting. Fadnavis and Shinde selected the Rs 52,652 crore option, which was more economically viable, efficient and environmentally friendly, according to a press release.
