Construction of the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR) project has entered a new phase with the first Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) fully assembled and undergoing final technical and safety checks before excavation begins.
According to Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijit Bangar, tunnelling will commence once the machine receives the required certifications. The TBM has successfully completed integrated testing of its mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, control and safety systems.
Spanning 12.2 km, the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road is one of Mumbai’s key infrastructure projects aimed at strengthening east-west connectivity. The project includes two parallel 4.7-km tunnels between Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari in Goregaon and Khindipada in Mulund. To reduce the environmental footprint beneath the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, the tunnel diameter will taper from 14.2 metres to 13 metres through the protected stretch.
The project will deploy two Tunnel Boring Machines imported from Japan. While the first machine is ready for operations, assembly of the second is nearing completion. Both TBMs will work simultaneously to excavate the twin tunnels, helping speed up construction.
Designed with Single Shield Earth Pressure Balance (EPB) Hard Rock technology, the 83-metre-long TBM is equipped to cut through Mumbai’s basalt rock. It features a 14.49-metre cutterhead and an automated muck-handling system with a 340-metre conveyor network, enabling quicker debris removal, reduced manual handling and improved construction safety.
The Goregaon-Mulund Link Road is scheduled for completion by February 2029. Once operational, it will provide a faster route between Goregaon, Kandivali and Borivali in the western suburbs and Mulund, Thane and Navi Mumbai via the Eastern Express Highway and Airoli, while easing traffic pressure on existing east-west road corridors across Mumbai.
Source: The Free Press Journal
