India
The Mumbai Coastal Road Project, India’s first undersea tunnel
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1 year agoon
The first undersea tunnel in India, scheduled to open in November 2023, is a 2.07-kilometer twin tunnel that runs 17-20 metres below sea level and connects Girgaon to Priyadarshini Park
The First Undersea Tunnel in India is Nearing Completion: Mumbai Coastal Road Project:
The Mumbai Coastal Road Project (MCRP) is a Rs 12,721-crore Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) initiative to connect Marine Drive to the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. The project’s most notable feature is the construction of India’s first undersea tunnel, which is scheduled to open in November 2023. The twin tunels, which are 2.07 kilometres long and run 17-20 metres below sea level, connect Girgaon to Priyadarshini Park via the Arabian Sea, Girgaon Chowpatty, and Malabar Hill.
Construction Challenges and TBM Use: To build the twin tunnels, a team of 35 men and a sizable Chinese tunel boring machine (TBM) had to cut through difficult geological strata. The Mavala TBM, which stands about 12 metres tall and weighs over 1,700 tonnes, is the biggest one ever used in India. A year ago, it was put together and launched. It was produced by the China Railway Construction Heavy Industry Company Ltd (CRCHI).
The completion of the undersea tunnel construction was made possible in large part by the TBM. After a year of mining, it finally broke through from the Girgaon end in January 2022, and the second tunneel’s boring started in April 2022. There are only 140 metres of remaining mining work, so the BMC anticipates making its breakthrough by the end of May.
Design and Features of the Tunnels: The tunneels have a diameter of 12.19 metres and six crosswalks, with two for drivers and four for pedestrians. Each tunnel has three 3.2-meter-wide lanes, two of which are always open and the third of which is reserved for emergencies or periods of higher traffic density.
The tunnels also have fibreglass facades that resemble Marine Drive’s well-known Queen’s Necklace, a C-shaped promenade. The entry and exit points are built to make it simple to access the tunnels, and the crosswalks permit secure movement of both vehicles and pedestrians.
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Effect on Travel Time
During peak hours, the MCRP is expected to reduce the 45-minute commute from Girgaon to Worli to just 10 minutes. The 10.58-kilometer-long high-speed coastal road connects Marine Drive to the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. The undersea tunnels are an important part of the project because they shorten commute times and reduce traffic congestion in the area.
