MMRDA finalises contractor for corridor to connect Coastal Road with Eastern Freeway
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has approved the construction of a 9.23-km-long corridor connecting Coastal Road with Eastern Freeway. Larsen & Toubro has been chosen as the contractor for the project, which is estimated to cost ₹77.65 billion ($1.05 billion). The corridor will reduce travel time between Orange Gate and Marine Drive and connect the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link to Coastal Road and the Freeway. The project includes a 6.51-km underground tunnel and other auxiliary works.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has given a go-ahead to the construction of a 9.23-km-long corridor connecting Coastal Road with Eastern Freeway. An underground tunnel measuring 6.51 km will be part of the corridor. Larsen & Toubro has been finalised as the contractor to execute the project at a cost of ₹77,65,09,66,000.
The decision was taken at a meeting of MMRDA’s executive committee headed by chief secretary Manoj Saunik on September 12. The corridor will significantly cut down the travel time between Orange Gate on the Freeway and Marine Drive and in turn will connect the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link to Coastal Road and the Freeway, officials said.
MMRDA has constructed the Freeway, connecting Mankhurd to Chembur junction. “This route facilitates faster transportation to south Mumbai. However, there is frequent traffic congestion at Orange Gate, which impacts the vehicular movement to Mumbai Port Trust. As a result, it becomes a challenge to manage the traffic at the Main Post Office square on P’Dimello Marg near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is constructing Coastal Road on the west coast. But Mumbai still lacks an effective road-based transit system connecting the east and west coasts. To overcome this, MMRDA has planned to construct a 9.23-km-long corridor linking Orange Gate to Coastal Road at Marine Drive,” a MMRDA official said.
This corridor includes a 6.51-km twin-tube underground tunnel and other auxiliary works, the official said. “This project will ensure a fast and smooth travel from Eastern Freeway to Mantralaya in South Mumbai and Marine Drive.”
Each tunnel will have an 11-metre inner diameter and will accommodate 2+2 traffic lanes, 1+1 emergency lanes, and pedestrian walkways, officials said. The left-side tunnel will pass beneath the seaway and resurface after B D Somani Chowk. The project entails constructing a viaduct for vehicular access at Orange Gate, open cuts, and access roads on both sides of the corridor. This project has been planned by considering the safety of underground Metro line 3. For this, the depth of the tunnel will be about 40 metres from the ground level, ensuring it doesn’t obstruct the metro rail or high-rise building foundations, the officials pointed out.
Sanjay Mukherjee, metropolitan commissioner, MMRDA, said, “In the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, MMRDA is spearheading a range of ambitious projects aimed at enhancing the region’s transportation infrastructure and fostering overall development. These projects are meticulously planned to complement one another, effectively addressing traffic congestion. This strategic approach ensures that citizens have multiple transportation options within the region.”
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