In a major boost to the city’s connectivity, construction of the Orange Gate–Marine Drive Tunnel has begun. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde launched the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) for the project, which links the eastern edge of Orange Gate to Marine Drive.
Fadnavis said the tunnel was conceived to ease long detours and chronic congestion faced by Eastern Freeway commuters. He added that the project will transform travel across the city, making journeys significantly faster. The tunnel will connect the Eastern Freeway to the Coastal Road network, running beneath almost 700 properties, including heritage structures over a century old. It will pass under Western Railway, Central Railway and the Metro without disrupting existing infrastructure, making it a major engineering achievement.
The twin tunnel will span 9.96 km, with 3–3.5 km sections featuring two lanes plus an emergency lane. It will include advanced ventilation, ITS Smart Mobility technology and an AI-enabled traffic management system. Completion is targeted for December 2028, with efforts underway to finish six months earlier.
Fadnavis said the tunnel will save thousands of hours for daily commuters and strengthen Mumbai’s long-term growth vision. He commended MMRDA’s leadership in driving the project.
Alongside the tunnel, work has also begun on the Elevated Eastern Freeway Extension, a key link expected to cut travel time between South Mumbai and Thane to just 25–30 minutes.
MMRDA has started construction of the 13.9 km fully elevated, six-lane, high-speed corridor, which is set to ease congestion on the Eastern Express Highway — one of Mumbai’s busiest routes, used by millions of commuters daily. The corridor will stretch from Anand Nagar in Thane to Chheda Nagar in Ghatkopar, connecting Mulund, Airoli, JVLR, Vikhroli, Kanjurmarg, Mankhurd and Ghatkopar. In Thane, it will merge with the Anand Nagar–Saket Elevated Road to create a continuous high-speed route, with onward access to the Samruddhi Expressway.
Once complete, the project is expected to improve traffic flow, reduce emissions and deliver a faster, more reliable and greener commute for millions, while supporting economic activity across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
As part of its sustainability commitments, MMRDA realigned the Vikhroli–Ghatkopar stretch to save 127 Pink Trumpet trees and will plant 4,175 new trees as compensatory green cover.
