Mumbai’s real estate market will be completely transformed by the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR), which will significantly increase east-west connectivity. The project, which spans 12.30 kilometres and includes 6.65 km of twin tunnels beneath the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, will cut the travel time from more than an hour to just 25 minutes between Goregaon and Mulund. The GMLR is a significant milestone in Mumbai’s urban development, with Rs 19.58 billion allotted in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) 2025–26 budget and completion scheduled for 2028.
The improved connectivity is expected to boost real estate activity in Mulund, Malad, Borivali, and Goregaon. Nishant Deshmukh, Founder and Managing Partner of Sugee Group, highlighted that Mulund will become increasingly attractive to homebuyers seeking seamless access to western suburbs like Goregaon, Malad, and Andheri. He also predicted a surge in demand for premium residential projects as Mulund evolves into a well-connected urban center.
The Wadhwa Group’s managing director, Navin Makhija, highlighted the strategic importance of the GMLR, saying it will reduce traffic on the Western Express Highway and stimulate the expansion of the eastern suburbs’ real estate market. He believes that when the connectivity gap closes, the East’s property prices—which are currently between 60 and 65 percent of those in the West—will increase, opening up enormous potential for developers and homebuyers.
On the western front, the Malad-Borivali corridor is also set to benefit, with improved east-west mobility enhancing accessibility. Rohan Khatau, Director of CCI Projects, noted that the GMLR will reduce congestion on existing routes, making travel smoother for residents commuting to the eastern suburbs. He expects mid-segment and premium residential developments to see heightened demand.
Goregaon and Malad are already flourishing residential and commercial areas, and the GMLR would make them much more appealing, boosting property values and developer interest in new projects, said Umesh Jandial, Chief Business Officer at Omkar Realtors & Developers.
Shraddha Kedia-Agarwal, Director of Transcon Developers, described the GMLR as a game-changer, particularly for professionals commuting from Malad and Goregaon to the eastern suburbs. She expects a rise in demand for premium residential spaces, mixed-use developments, and commercial hubs, accelerating real estate transactions in these micro-markets.
Mumbai’s Western and Central suburbs accounted for 86% of property registrations, indicating high demand, according to Knight Frank India’s January 2025 report. The forthcoming Navi Mumbai airport and the GMLR’s integration with major highways are anticipated to draw retail and commercial developments, bolstering Mumbai’s real estate market.
Source: Construction World
