Work on Mumbai’s ambitious Goregaon–Mulund Link Road (GMLR) project reached a key milestone on Tuesday, with the final consignment of the second tunnel boring machine (TBM) scheduled to arrive at the Goregaon work site by Thursday night. Civic officials said preparations are underway to begin lowering and assembling the first TBM by March, with actual tunnel boring targeted to commence by June 2026.
The Rs 6,500-crore GMLR project, spanning 6.62 km, is aimed at significantly reducing travel time between Goregaon in the western suburbs and Mulund in the east. A major component of the project is the 5.3-km-long twin tunnels to be constructed beneath the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP). Each tunnel, with an external diameter of 14.42 metres, will be excavated using a TBM, with tunnelling set to begin from the Goregaon end.
To facilitate this, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been excavating a massive ‘launching shaft’ in the Film City area of Goregaon since last year. From March 2025, the civic body began receiving consignments of the first TBM from Japan. On Tuesday, officials confirmed that the final shipment of the second TBM is also expected to reach the site this week.
“From March 10, we plan to start lowering parts of the first TBM into the launching shaft. This will include four gantries, after which the assembly will be carried out inside the shaft,” a senior BMC official told The Indian Express. “The assembly process will take at least three months, following which we aim to begin actual tunnelling work from June 2026.”
Officials clarified that the lowering and assembly of the second TBM will be taken up at a later stage.
Meanwhile, excavation of the launching shaft is progressing at a brisk pace. Municipal authorities said that around 1,400 to 1,550 cubic metres of soil and rock are being excavated daily using about 120 vehicles. The shaft, designed to be 200 metres long, 50 metres wide and 30 metres deep, has currently been excavated to a depth of 23 metres across its full length and width.
The twin tunnels form part of the third phase of the GMLR, envisioned as Mumbai’s fourth east–west corridor. The project’s first phase involves road widening, followed by a second phase comprising flyover construction in the western suburbs along with the TBM-driven tunnels. The subsequent phase includes a road-over-bridge at Nahur, connecting to the final phase—an elevated flyover up to Airoli.
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In December 2025, the BMC floated tenders for this final phase, which includes a 1.33-km-long flyover from Nahur to Airoli and cloverleaf interchanges to improve connectivity between Mumbai and Thane, at an estimated cost of Rs 1,293 crore.
Nayonika Bose is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express’ Mumbai bureau. While in the early stages of her career, her focused reporting on local governance and community welfare already demonstrates clear Expertise and Trustworthiness in covering essential civic issues impacting Mumbai's residents.
Expertise & Authority (E-E-A-T)
Specialized Focus: Nayonika's reporting is dedicated to civic and community issues, providing readers with highly relevant, ground-level information about the functionality and administration of India's largest metropolitan area.
Core Coverage Areas: Her articles highlight a strong focus on the fundamental quality of life and public safety in Mumbai, including:
Civic Infrastructure: Reports on critical failures and initiatives related to public works, such as the recurring problem of unauthorized building collapses in Navi Mumbai, the construction of new infrastructure projects (like the Dahisar-Bhayandar Link Road and the Mahalaxmi cable-stayed bridge), and the maintenance of essential city services (e.g., manhole cover theft).
Urban Governance & Crisis Management: Provides detailed coverage of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) response to major crises, particularly during the monsoon (e.g., heavy rainfall, water cuts, and public health concerns like dengue and malaria) and large-scale public safety incidents (e.g., the hoarding collapse fallout).
Community Welfare & Rights: Reports on key social issues, including the financial aid scheme for persons with disabilities, the struggles of Mumbai's hawkers protesting eviction drives, and the dangers faced by workers due to the continuation of manual scavenging in water tanks.
Cultural & Heritage Reporting: Covers significant community stories, including the restoration of British-era fountains and the history of institutions like the 126-year-old Chinchpokli cemetery, showing a breadth of interest beyond pure administration.
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