Navi Mumbai will undergo year-long traffic diversions as work begins on a new underground link aimed at easing chronic congestion between Kharghar, Belapur and Turbhe. The City and Industrial Development Corporation’s (CIDCO) 1.76-kilometre tunnel forms part of a larger mobility corridor intended to cut commuting time across the satellite city and reduce pressure on the Sion–Panvel Highway, one of the region’s busiest arterial routes.
Construction on the project, estimated at around ₹2,100 crore, commenced this week, prompting the Navi Mumbai Traffic Police to announce extensive restrictions along several stretches near Shiravane and Juinagar. Officials said the changes are designed to maintain safety and minimse disruption as the work zone sits in the median of both Mumbai- and Pune-bound lanes, making real-time management essential. According to officials, the tunnel is expected to reduce the current 40-minute journey between Turbhe and Kharghar to approximately 10 minutes once operational. Urban planners view the project as a critical intervention for Navi Mumbai’s mobility network, arguing that seamless intra-city movement is central to sustainable, car-light growth. One transport expert noted that “improving travel efficiency in dense corridors directly supports lower emissions and more equitable access, especially when integrated with multimodal networks”.
The diversions, which came into effect on 20 November 2025 and will remain until 16 November 2026, involve significant rerouting of local and through traffic. The Pune-bound service road between Sawan Knowledge Park and Delta Stellar Company will operate as a one-way stretch, while the underpass linking Shiravane village with the MIDC area will stay closed throughout the construction period. Vehicles from Uran Phata will be channelled through the Punyagiri MIDC route, and those from Nerul’s internal roads must merge onto the Sion–Panvel Highway. Traffic from Shiravane will be directed either to the Juinagar Railway Station service road or the LP Bridge stretch depending on the destination. In certain cases, motorists will be permitted to use the Mumbai-bound carriageway as an alternative route to avoid bottlenecks.
Authorities emphasised that the diversions are temporary but necessary. “These arrangements are aimed at ensuring safe movement and preventing severe congestion as work progresses,” a traffic department official said, urging residents to adapt travel plans and consider public transport where possible. Emergency and essential service vehicles such as ambulances, police units, fire brigades and government fleets are exempt from the restrictions to ensure uninterrupted response times. Urban mobility analysts argue that while long construction windows are inconvenient, infrastructure of this scale will improve long-term access, contribute to reduced vehicular idling and support Navi Mumbai’s shift towards more sustainable mobility.
As the region prepares for rapid population and transit growth—driven by new housing, commercial clusters and the upcoming international airport—the tunnel is expected to play a defining role in strengthening east–west connectivity.
Navi Mumbai Announces Year-Long Traffic Diversions For CIDCO Underground Tunnel Project
