A Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) has already been mobilised at the site, with lowering and assembly currently under way at the launching shaft. Tunnelling is expected to commence in December 2025, an MMRDA official said. The twin tunnels will offer a traffic-free route between Orange Gate on P. D’Mello Road and Marine Drive, reducing congestion and improving connectivity.
The Eastern Freeway, linking Mankhurd, Chembur Junction and Orange Gate, has significantly improved access to South Mumbai. However, rising congestion at Orange Gate has become a challenge for the Mumbai Port Trust and the Main Post Office Square on P. D’Mello Road. To ease these bottlenecks, MMRDA has planned a 9.23-km corridor — comprising road and tunnel sections — connecting Orange Gate to the Coastal Road at Marine Drive.
The Rs 73.26 billion project includes 6.51 km of twin-tube tunnels, with each underpass designed to accommodate two traffic lanes and one emergency lane in each direction, along with pedestrian walkways. The plan also involves constructing a viaduct connecting to the Eastern Freeway, as well as open cuts and access roads along the alignment.
The left-side tunnel will pass beneath the seaway and surface near BD Somani Chowk. The project has been designed with strict safety considerations for the underground Mumbai Metro Aqua Line 3, with the tunnel depth set at about 40 metres below ground to avoid interference with railway structures or the foundations of high-rise buildings. MMRDA has also stressed that safety measures are critical given the project’s proximity to heritage precincts and densely populated neighbourhoods in South Mumbai.
