December 6, 2025: Work has begun on Mumbai’s ambitious Orange Gate–Marine Drive twin tunnel, a 10 km east–west corridor that will run beneath nearly 700 buildings, including heritage structures, densely packed residential zones, and two active railway lines. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has instructed the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) to fast-track construction and complete the project by June 2028—six months ahead of the earlier December deadline.
Of the corridor’s total length, about 7 km will be underground, at depths varying between 12 and 52 metres. Officials describe it as one of Mumbai’s most technically demanding infrastructure works due to its alignment below a 50-metre-deep Metro line and busy railway tracks. The use of a 12.2-metre slurry shield tunnel-boring machine (TBM) will help manage coastal soil challenges and water ingress.
Once operational, the tunnel is expected to cut the current 22–40-minute travel time between Orange Gate and Marine Drive to just 5–7 minutes. It will also offer a seamless connection to the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport for commuters from south Mumbai and the western suburbs, while easing congestion on key arterial roads.
Each tunnel will feature two 3.2-metre-wide traffic lanes and a 2.5-metre emergency lane. Cross-passages will be constructed at 300-metre intervals, and the design incorporates advanced ventilation, fire safety, lighting, and traffic management systems calibrated for speeds of up to 80 km/h.
The project, estimated at Rs 8,056 crore, has completed roughly 15% of its work. Officials say the combination of depth, dense construction overhead, and multiple transport corridors makes this one of the city’s most complex engineering efforts, positioning the tunnel as a transformative link once commissioned.
Source: Prop News Time
