Maharashtra: Govt gets tunnel vision for Mumbai's integrated transport system

In A bid to boost the city's integrated transport system by decongesting traffic, an ambitious idea to build a multi-tier multi-modal underground tunnel network has been mooted. The idea, in its vey basic stage, was presented at a review meeting held by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday.

A high-level discussion between the political and infra agency bosses concluded that a two-tier tunnel was the need of the hour for the state capital which continues to have traffic snarls on the main and arterial roads. "It is time such an option was explored. The bureaucrats responsible and experts working on the integrated transport system should meet to build a multi-model integrated transportation network tunnel system," Shinde was reported to have told the meeting.

It is learnt that the multi-modal tunnel network has been planned to link underground to all busy roads and passenger points such as the ongoing Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train route, Navi Mumbai Airport, Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, Coastal Highway, existing Eastern and Western Expressway, Bandra Worli Sea Link, Mumbai-Pune Expressway and LBS Road (Central Mumbai).

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A note from the CMO said the leaders were given a presentation on the solutions, including a tunnel network, to ease traffic and boost transport in various ways in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. For the double-decker tunnel project, a committee comprising the civic commissioner, I S Chahal, metropolitan commissioner SVR Srinivasan and additional civic commissioner and MD of the state-run company that is constructing the city's fully underground metro corridor (Line-3), Ashwini Bhide, has been tasked with the job of consulting experts and technical teams.

Points to be connected through tunnels

Ongoing Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train route
Ongoing Navi Mumbai Airport
Ongoing Delhi-Mumbai Expressway
Ongoing Coastal Highway Mumbai
Eastern Expressway
Western Expressway
Bandra Worli Sea Link
Mumbai-Pune Expressway
LBS Road (Central Mumbai)