MMRDA to connect Coastal Road, Eastern Freeway with tunnel

Mumbai: In a move that might prove to be a huge relief for motorists, a tender of ₹6,327 cr been issued for construction of a tunnel from Orange Gate to Marine drive that will connect Coastal Road and Eastern Freeway.

The tunnel, approximately around 3.5 kms long, is also expected to connect Southern Mumbai traffic to Transharbour link, which is a quick gateway to Navi Mumbai International Airport.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development (MMRDA) called the tender for the tunnel as a flyover is not possible in the region that is dotted with heritage structures, said state officials.

Traffic jams on the Shahid Bhagatsingh Road in the evenings have made it a nightmare for motorists as it takes more than one hour for them to get onto the Eastern Freeway.

MMRDA’s metropolitan commissioner S V R Srinivas said, “The tunnel will begin at Orange Gate (near Ferry Wharf) and will end at Marine Drive. We have done a detailed project report and the construction will be completed in four years.

“There will be two lanes in each of the two tunnels (one for the south bound and the other for the north bound traffic). It is mainly being constructed to connect South Mumbai and Mumbai Transharbour link (connecting Sewree and Nhava Sheva).”

The MMRDA will also require a part of the Mumbai Port Authority land and the latter have agreed to give their land for the 3.5 km tunnel, said Srinivas.

When the Eastern Freeway was conceptualised, by the then MMRDA Commissioner T Chandrashekhar, it was not possible to extend it till the Regal theatre because there are heritage structures in the area.

Later, another commissioner, Rahul Asthana, did a study to check for other options that will help in easing traffic jams in the area.

The particular phase of the coastal road is being constructed by the BMC, connecting Worli with Marine Drive, will be completed by 2024. The Mumbai Transharbour link is being constructed by the MMRDA.