Excavation work for the ambitious Goregaon–Mulund Link Road (GMLR) project — one of Mumbai’s largest ongoing urban mobility initiatives — is progressing at a brisk pace at the Dadasaheb Phalke Film City site in Goregaon. The project, which features a 5.3-km triple-lane twin tunnel, is set to redefine east–west connectivity in the city once completed by December 2028.
According to municipal officials, the excavation for the tunnel’s launching shaft — measuring about 100 × 50 metres and 10 metres deep — is in full swing, with 24×7 operations ensuring rapid progress. Rock anchoring is being used to stabilise excavation walls, forming the foundation for subsequent tunnelling work that will begin once the massive Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) are assembled. The project’s engineering team confirmed that the launching shaft, which will be 200 metres long, 50 metres wide and 35 metres deep, will serve as the entry point for the TBMs. The first TBM, already delivered, will commence operations in August 2026, while the second is expected to arrive by December 2025. Once assembled, the machines will begin excavating the 5.3-km twin tunnels — each with an external diameter of approximately 14.4 metres, making them the largest ever built in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
A senior project official said that this engineering feat is central to Mumbai’s long-term sustainable transport strategy. “The GMLR tunnel will reduce travel time and vehicle emissions by providing an uninterrupted, signal-free corridor between the city’s eastern and western suburbs,” the official said, adding that the design also integrates ventilation, safety interconnections, and escape routes every 300 metres to enhance commuter safety. When completed, the Rs 14,000-crore GMLR will become the fourth major east–west connector linking the Western and Eastern Express Highways. The 12.2-km corridor — including the 6.62-km underground stretch beneath the Sanjay Gandhi National Park — is expected to cut travel time between Malad and Airoli from over an hour to just 25 minutes.
Urban transport planners describe the project as a “critical piece of infrastructure” that could decongest major arterial routes and improve air quality in North Mumbai by reducing stop-and-go traffic. Experts also note that integrating such high-capacity tunnels within an ecologically sensitive region requires strict environmental management and adherence to sustainability protocols. As work continues on a war footing, the GMLR project reflects Mumbai’s broader ambition to modernise its mobility systems through efficient, multimodal and environmentally responsible infrastructure — one that connects its expanding suburbs while easing the strain on existing roads.
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