Mumbai Infra Update: GMLR Twin Tunnel Project Hits Milestone As Launching Shaft Completed At Film City

Mumbai, 06 March 2026 : 

Mumbai’s major infrastructure project, the Goregaon–Mulund Link Road (GMLR), has achieved an important construction milestone with the completion of the launching shaft for the twin tunnel at Dadasaheb Phalke Chitra nagari. The development marks a significant step forward in the progress of the city’s large-scale connectivity project.

According to officials from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, concreting work for the shaft has been completed and the curing process is expected to finish within three days. The Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) components will be lowered into the shaft on March 10, 2026, after which assembly will begin on-site.

The project includes a 4.7-kilometre twin tunnel passing beneath the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, along with a 1.6-kilometre box tunnel through Film City. To carry out the work, two advanced TBMs are being deployed. A specially designed curved concrete cradle measuring 20 × 20 × 2.5 metres has been constructed at the base of the shaft to support the machines during installation.

For the heavy lifting operations, two cranes with capacities of 350 and 800 metric tonnes are being used. While the 350-ton crane is already at the site, the 800-ton crane is expected to become fully operational by March 7, followed by a load test on March 8 before lowering the TBM components into the shaft.

After the testing phase, the assembly of key TBM parts such as the cutter head, main shield, screw conveyor, main bearing, and erector will begin. Officials aim to start the actual tunnel excavation work by June this year.

Meanwhile, Abhijeet Bangar, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects), also inspected the ongoing flyover construction at Ratnagiri Junction in Goregaon and instructed engineers to speed up girder launching work so that the flyover can open to traffic before May 31, ahead of the monsoon season.

The 12.2-km GMLR corridor will connect the Western Express Highway at Goregaon with the Eastern Express Highway at Mulund. Once completed, the ₹16,000-crore project is expected to reduce travel time between the two points from around 75 minutes to nearly 25 minutes, significantly improving east–west connectivity across Mumbai.