Mumbai’s infrastructure transformation continues as the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) unveils plans for a 70-kilometre network of tunnels running beneath the city. The ambitious project aims to reduce chronic traffic congestion, enhance connectivity, and integrate with Mumbai’s expanding transport infrastructure.
An MMRDA official said the initiative would “divert a significant portion of through traffic underground and ease bottlenecks across arterial routes,” marking a major step in the city’s evolving urban mobility framework.
Phase One: Linking Coastal Road, BKC, and Airport
The first phase, spanning 16 km, will create an underground corridor connecting:
- The southern end of the Coastal Road (from Marine Drive to Worli)
- Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), the city’s financial hub
- Terminal 2 of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport
It will also link to the Mumbai–Ahmedabad bullet train station at BKC, establishing seamless multimodal integration between the city’s road, rail, and air transport systems.
Phase Two: East-West Link Between Express Highways
The second phase, approximately 10 km long, will establish an east-west connection between the Eastern Express Highway (EEH) and Western Express Highway (WEH). This critical link will cut cross-city travel times, providing direct access to the airport while decongesting overburdened surface routes.
Phase Three: A 44 km North-South Underground Corridor
The final phase, stretching 44 km, will complete a continuous north-south corridor, enabling uninterrupted freight and passenger movement across Mumbai. This deep tunnel will dramatically reduce pressure on existing surface infrastructure, improving travel efficiency from the city’s southern tip to its northern suburbs.
Complementing Ongoing Mega Projects
The proposed tunnel network complements major infrastructure works currently underway, including:
- The 9 km Orange Gate–Marine Drive tunnel, linking the Eastern Freeway to the Coastal Road, targeted for completion by 2028–29.
- The 11.85 km Thane–Borivali twin tunnel under the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, expected to open by 2028.
Together, these projects reflect Mumbai’s strategy to modernize mobility, create alternate routes, and reclaim surface space for pedestrians and public transport.
A Vision for a Decongested, Connected Mumbai
Once completed, Mumbai’s tunnel network could transform urban commuting, cutting travel time, curbing pollution, and improving logistics efficiency. With MMRDA now initiating feasibility studies and detailed project reports, the city’s vision of a decongested, seamlessly connected underground transport grid is steadily moving from blueprint to reality.
