MMRDA gets National Board of Wildlife's nod for Thane-Borivali twin tunnel project

The National Board of Wildlife has granted approval for the Rs 16,600 crore Thane-Borivali twin tunnel project, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) said on Sunday. As per a statement issued by the MMRDA, the proposed twin tunnel between neighbouring Thane city and Borivali under the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) will provide direct connectivity between the Eastern and Western Express Highways.

In a post on X, MMRDA commissioner Dr Sanjay Mukherjee said, "Happy to inform that the National Board for Wildlife has granted approval to the Thane-Borivali Twin Tunnel. This marks an important milestone in starting work of this watershed project."

The twin tunnel will be built at the cost of Rs 16,600.40 crore and the total length of the tunnel will be 11.8 km, out of which 1.55 km will be the approach road, the release said.


The outer diameter will be 13.05 metres (two tunnels each of two lanes plus one emergency lane), and there will be cross passages every 300 meters, it stated.

The twin tunnel will cut down the travel time between the neighbouring Thane city and Borivali by one hour and decongest the traffic, the release said.