Work on the tunnel is expected to commence in eight months and be completed in five and a half years
The tunnel running below SGNP will reduce travel time between Thane and Borivli to 15-20 minutes
Taking the underground Thane-Borivali twin-tube tunnel one step closer to reality, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has applied for forest clearance for the twin tunnel that will pass below Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP). The tender for construction of the Rs 14,400 crore tunnel has been finalised and work is expected to start in about eight months.
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Metropolitan Commissioner, MMRDA, S V R Srinivas said, “The tender for construction has been finalised and work is expected to start after the monsoon, in about eight months. We have also approached the forest department to obtain forest clearance for the project.”
The project will reduce the travel time between Thane and Borivali, and also aid in minimising traffic congestion on Ghodbunder Road. The route will feature an 11.8-km-long connecting road with two 10.25-km-long three-lane tunnels built beneath the park, running from Tikuji-Ni-Wadi in Thane to the Western Express Highway (WEH) in Borivli.
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Considering that the tunnel will pass through SGNP, MMRDA will take special precautions to protect the park’s biodiversity by using tunnel-boring machinery to avoid upsetting the lives of the park’s animals and flora. The Thane-Borivli tunnel is expected to take five and a half years to be completed from the date the tender is awarded.
There will be cross-tunnels every 300 metres and the design will allow vehicles to travel at a maximum speed of 80 kmph. The 60-minute travel time between Thane and Borivli will be slashed to 15-20 minutes, resulting in a total reduction of 10.5 lakh metric tonnes of fuel. The initiative will contribute to a 36 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, thus helping maintain the environmental balance.
Special measures will be taken to ensure that the air within the constricted tunnel remains clean and fresh. There will also be provisions for a drainage system, a smoke detector and jet fans.
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