Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday said that a tunnel link between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai Airport was under consideration.
Shinde has directed the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) to study the feasibility of building an underground tunnel connecting Mumbai to the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), an official statement said.
It said that the suggestion came during a high-level meeting held at the MSRDC office, attended by Eknatj Shinde`s Principal Secretary Naveen Sona, MMRDA Commissioner Dr. Sanjay Mukherjee, and other senior officials.
The Navi Mumbai International Airport, set to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 8.
It is second international airport in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and is expected to handle 20 million passengers annually in its initial phase.
Given the expected rise in air traffic and passenger movement, existing road networks may not be sufficient. To ensure smooth and fast connectivity from Mumbai, a dedicated tunnel route, possibly linking BKC (Bandra-Kurla Complex) directly to the airport, is being proposed for study, the statement said.
Shinde said that seamless integration with national highways, suburban railways, metro lines, and water transport is essential. He has asked MMRDA to explore if a tunnel route can serve this purpose effectively.
He also directed officials to prepare a detailed feasibility report, including the technical, financial, and environmental aspects, with support from experts in infrastructure design and tunnelling.
The project, if feasible, could become a game-changer for connectivity between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, reducing travel time and easing future traffic congestion, the statement said.
