Tunnelling work on the ambitious Thane-Borivali Twin Tunnel has started.
The twin tube tunnel between Thane and Borivli will be constructed at a cost of more than Rs 14,400 crore. It seeks to reduce travel time between the two places and decongest Ghodbunder Road.
The route will feature an 11.8-km-long connecting road and two 10.25-km-long three-lane tunnels built beneath Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), from Tikuji-ni-Wadi in Thane to the Western Express Highway in Borivali.
Considering the tunnel will pass through SGNP, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) will take precautions to avoid causing harm to the park`s biodiversity, including the use of a tunnel boring machine to avoid upsetting flora and fauna. The tunnel is expected to take five-and-a-half years to be completed from the day the tender is awarded.
There will be cross-tunnels every 300 metres, and the design will allow vehicles to travel at a top speed of 80 kilometre per hour. The new route is expected to shave off 40-45 minutes of travel time and reduce the need for 10.5 lakh metric tonnes of fuel per year. It will also contribute to an annual 36 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.
