PM to lay foundation stones of projects worth $29,400 cr on first visit after win

MUMBAI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stones of projects amounting to ₹29,400 crore during his first visit to Mumbai on Saturday following his election win for a third term. This includes a twin tunnel between Thane and Borivali, which will cut down travel time by an hour and curtail distance by 12 km. According to officials of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), they propose to complete this tunnel in 5 years.

They also said that after the completion of the project, a total number of 1,00,000 PCUs (Passengers Car Units) are likely to use the underground tunnel, and a large population residing at the western suburbs in Mumbai and Thane will be benefited as a result. The cost incurred of the tunnel with two lanes and 1 emergency lane will be ₹16,600.40 crore. The 10.25-km long tunnel will be part of an 11.8-km long road corridor that will start at Thane and end on NH-8 at Borivali.

“This signal-free tunnel will be inter-connected by cross passages at a distance of 300 m, while it will have a vertical clearance of 5.50 m and a diameter of 13.05 m. Adequate ventilation system shall be created by natural or mechanical means with well-illuminated retro reflective sign boards at the entrance and inside the tunnel. The country’s longest Tunnel Boring Machine would be used for this tunnel, “ said an MMRDA official.

The tunnel is expected to decongest the Western Express Highway and Ghodbunder Road, currently in a traffic mess because of the ongoing metro work. The distance from Thane to Borivali via Ghodbunder is 23 km, that takes around 1 to 1.5 hour to cover the distance during peak hours. The tunnel will bring down travel time by an hour. The authorities also claim that there will be a total reduction of 1,50,000 mt in carbon emission per year.