Borivali Thane “Twin Tunnel Vision”: On February 19, PM Modi will hold a groundbreaking ceremony?
With the endorsement from the National Wildlife Board for the Thane-Borivali dual tunnel in Mumbai, there exists the potential for the Maharashtra government to conduct the inaugural ceremony for the project on February 19. This date coincides with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to the state, as indicated by sources.
The tunnel is slated to traverse the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, a habitat hosting 18 reserved wildlife species. This development anticipates a reduction in the commute time between Thane and Borivali to a mere 20 minutes, down from the current one-hour duration.
The groundbreaking ceremony, initially planned for January 12 during the inauguration of ‘Atal Setu’ by PM Modi, had to be postponed due to the awaited approval.
WHAT LIES AHEAD? In 2015, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had unveiled the project while overseeing the public works department. The Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA), renowned for constructing the nation’s longest sea bridge connecting Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, has secured approval from the National Wildlife Board.
The final endorsement from the Central Environment and Forest Department is still pending, and the state government has submitted a proposal to the Centre to facilitate the process.
PROJECT SPECIFICS The MMRDA is set to invest approximately Rs 16,000 crore in the project, with the project awarded to the Hyderabad-based ‘Megha Engineering Infrastructure.’ According to MMRDA, they plan to construct tunnels spanning 10.25 km, complemented by a 1.1 km approach road.
MMRDA Commissioner Sanjay Deshmukh joyfully conveyed the long-awaited approval from the National Board of Wildlife for the Thane-Borivali Twin Tunnel project: “Delighted to share that the National Board of Wildlife has granted approval for the Thane-Borivalli Twin Tunnel. This signifies a significant milestone in commencing the work of this groundbreaking project.”
