MSRDC plans ₹8,900-cr Thane-Borivali tunnel

Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) through its PWD will construct an underground road connecting Thane and Borivali areas at an investment of ₹8,900 crore. The agency has sought permission from the forest department for the 10-km-long road with two tunnels of three lanes and 15 metres wide. Owing to the underground road, the turn at Ghodbunder road can be avoided as currently, it takes nearly 2-3 hours by road to travel between Thane and Borivali, but upon completion, the 21-km stretch will take only 15 minutes to cover the distance. The road will also have a 1km long link road with a 10.20 km tunnel to be constructed under the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, and will start from Tikuji Ni Wadi (Thane) and connect with the western expressway at Borivali. The project has got a nod from the environment department and has submitted a request for approval from the forest department. There are insufficient funds for this project and financial support is also expected from the state government. The DPR for the project is currently in the last stage. The Bandra Versova Sea Link will also be extended up to Virar, which is a distant suburb of Mumbai.