Changing city: Twin-Tube Tunnel to slash Thane-Borivali commute to 15 minutes

• At present, there is no direct route connecting Thane and Borivali. Commuters rely on the Thane-Ghodbunder Road (SH-42), a key link between NH-3 and NH-8, which serves heavy commercial traffic.
• Current route spans 23 km and travel time during peak hours stretch from one to one-and-half hours. The Twin-Tube Tunnel will run under Sanjay Gandhi National Park
• 80,000-1,00,000 vehicles expected to use the tunnel
• 23 km current distance between Thane and Borivali
• 12 km distance between Thane and Borivali via Twin-Tube Road Tunnel
• 15 minutes driving time via twin tunnel

Highlights

• 2 lanes plus one emergency lane in each direction
• 11.8 km total length — 10.25 km tunnel & 1.55 km approaches to junctions
• 12.89 metres diameter of each tunnel
• Safety is a key consideration, with cross-connection lanes every 300 metres, fire extinguishers, water hoses, smoke detectors, and illuminated signboards

Official-speak

“Upon completion in five years, the project will significantly enhance connectivity between Thane and Borivali, offering a faster and more efficient commute for thousands of daily travelers. This project will enable decongestion of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) — Dr Sanjay Mukherjee, MMRDA Commissioner