Mumbai: Tunnelling for Orange Gate-Marine Drive underpass to begin next month

Graphic/Yogesh Jain

Tunnelling work for the ambitious underpass linking Orange Gate and Marine Drive project is to begin next month, according to Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) sources. "As of today, the project has achieved physical progress of 13.5 per cent and financial progress of 10.37 per cent.

The contractor has mobilised a TBM [Tunnel Boring Machine] at the site, and the TBM lowering and assembly work is in progress at the launching shaft. Tunnelling is expected to commence from December 2025," an MMRDA official said. The twin tunnels will provide a traffic-free route between Orange Gate on P D'Mello Road and Marine Drive, enhancing connectivity and reducing travel times.

The Eastern Freeway, connecting Mankhurd, Chembur Junction, and Orange Gate, has significantly improved transportation to South Mumbai. However, increasing 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 address these issues and create a seamless road-based transit system, the MMRDA came up with a plan to construct a 9.23-km (tunnel plus road) corridor that will link Orange Gate to the Coastal Road at Marine Drive.

Salient features

The '7326-crore project includes 6.51-km twin-tube tunnels, with each underpass accommodating two traffic lanes and one emergency lane in either direction, as well as pedestrian walkways. The project entails constructing a viaduct for vehicle access at the Eastern Freeway, open cuts and access roads on both sides of the corridor.

The left-side tunnel will pass beneath the seaway and resurface after BD Somani Chowk. This project has been planned considering the safety of the underground Mumbai Metro Aqua Line 3. The depth of the tunnel will be about 40 metres from the ground level, ensuring it doesn't obstruct railway or high-rise buildings' foundations. The MMRDA in the past has said that safety measures are paramount, given the project's proximity to heritage sites and densely populated areas in South Mumbai.