Mumbai: The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is working on establishing a ‘third mode of urban mobility’ in the city via creating underground tunnel corridors spanning 70 km at an estimated cost of ₹1.05 lakh crore. The first phase of this project, spanning 16 km, will link Worli with terminal two of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), as reported by HT on November 5.
The tunnels will complement two existing modes of mobility – railway lines and roads – and ease traffic snarls and congestion, officials said.
The MMRDA, on September 30, approved the appointment of a consultant to undertake a techno-economic feasibility study and prepare a detailed project report on the proposed tunnel network, which will be based on traffic demand and future mobility needs.
“Mumbai’s transformation into a global economic powerhouse depends on its ability to move people and goods efficiently. The proposed tunnel network is a major leap toward achieving seamless, multi-level connectivity across the city — integrating roads, metro, coastal corridors, and now, an underground tunnel grid,” chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said. “This project will decongest arterial routes and make commuting across Mumbai faster, safer, and smoother.”
The longest tunnel in the proposed project, at 44km, will link south Mumbai with Borivali, at an estimated cost of ₹66,000 crore. The tunnel is likely to have multiple entry and exit points, and work on the tunnel will be taken up in the third phase of the project. The tunnel will likely be linked with the upcoming Thane-Borivali twin tunnel, sources said.
The project will help build a high-capacity, underground mobility corridor connecting Coastal Road, Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), the bullet train station, and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, sources said. It is expected to decongest the Western Express Highway and SV Road as traffic will be diverted underground, the sources noted.
Dr Sanjay Mukherjee, metropolitan commissioner, MMRDA, said: “The tunnel network will redefine how Mumbai moves. It will reduce traffic load on existing surface roads, improve east–west and north–south connectivity, and unlock new urban capacity for public spaces. At present, DPR will be prepared to study the technical feasibility, environmental impact, and economic viability of the project. Once the DPR is finalised and approved, the project will be implemented in a phased manner, in line with traffic requirements and the city’s future growth in mobility demand.”