Coastal Road tunnel will save thousands of hours for thousands of people: Fadnavis

The upcoming Coastal Road tunnel between Orange Gate and Marine Drive in south Mumbai will save "thousands of hours for thousands of people", said Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday.

The tunnel, with both ducts together spanning 9.96 km, will be an engineering marvel, he said. It will run beneath the Central Railway and Western Railway tracks, and even below the underground Metro 3 line, the CM said.

Planning body Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Agency (MMRDA) described the corridor as the "deepest urban tunnel". The project will cost an estimated Rs 8,054 crore, it said.

"Thousands of hours for thousands of people will be saved," Fadnavis said at the site, where the tunnel boring machine (TBM) for the project was launched in the morning.

The tunnel will be constructed under 700 structures, including many heritage properties, said the CM.

As per the current plan, the Orange Gate-Marine Drive underground tunnel is expected to be completed by 2028, but they are striving to finish the project six months before the deadline, said Fadnavis.

The tunnel will provide an alternative route to the residents of south Mumbai and those living in the western suburbs of the metropolis to reach the Navi Mumbai international airport, as another connector between Sewri and Worli is under construction.

The Coastal Road currently connects Marine Drive to Worli, where it links with the Bandra-Worli Sea Link.

Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, Mumbai Guardian Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha and Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar were among those present at the TBM launch function.

In a release later, MMRDA claimed that it is the "deepest urban tunnel". "With this ceremony, the TBM-driven excavation officially commences today, signalling the start of the Most Complex Urban Road Tunnel project of this magnitude and complexity," it said.

The tunnel will be designed for a speed limit of 80 kmph, and there will be crossover points every 300 metres. The depth of the tunnel will be between 12 and 52 metres, it said.

The project will provide critical East-West coastal connectivity to the metropolis, reducing the travel time by 15-20 minutes, saving fuel and helping reduce air and noise pollution, said MMRDA.

"Once completed, this tunnel will significantly reduce travel time, ease congestion, and enhance the overall commuting experience for citizens," the release said, quoting Deputy CM Eknath Shinde.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)