Mega-Project Started to Ease Eastern Express Highway Congestion: Mumbai–Thane In 25 Minutes As MMRDA Starts Work On 6-Lane Elevated Freeway

The 13.9 km corridor aims to ease Eastern Express Highway congestion and offer a high-speed, greener commute across the eastern suburbs.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority has begun construction of the Elevated Eastern Freeway Extension, a 13.9 km fully elevated, six-lane corridor that is set to cut the South Mumbai–Thane travel time to just 25–30 minutes. This major infrastructure push is expected to significantly decongest the Eastern Express Highway, which currently handles lakhs of daily commuters and remains one of the city’s most overburdened arterial routes.

Key Highlights: 

• Construction of 2.5 m diameter monopiles, robust piers, 40-m spans, and a 25-m single-segment superstructure
• Single-pile, single-pier system — first-of-its-kind for an elevated road in MMR
• Up–down ramps near Mulund Check Naka, Airoli Junction & Vikhroli Junction
• 3+3 lane elevated toll plaza near Navghar Flyover
• Designed for uninterrupted, safe, high-speed movement

Status Update: 

• Preliminary survey works completed

• Test piles completed

• Geotechnical investigation mostly done

• Utility identification substantially completed

• Working piles and pier casting in progress

A faster, greener and more connected Mumbai Metropolitan Region is taking shape — one pillar at a time.

Soon: South Mumbai–Thane in just 25 minutes

MMRDA has commenced construction of the Elevated Eastern Freeway Extension, a 13.9 km, fully elevated 6-lane high-speed corridor that will dramatically reduce travel time between South Mumbai and Thane to 25–30 minutes, while easing… pic.twitter.com/9vL689iC7U

— MMRDA (@MMRDAOfficial) December 1, 2025

The freeway will start at Anand Nagar in Thane and end at Chheda Nagar in Ghatkopar, creating a seamless high-speed link across the eastern suburbs. Along its length, the corridor will connect Mulund, Airoli, JVLR, Vikhroli, Kanjurmarg, Mankhurd and Ghatkopar, making movement between these neighbourhoods smoother and substantially faster.

At the Thane end, the corridor will merge with the Anand Nagar–Saket Elevated Road near the former Mulund Octroi Naka. This will not only form a continuous rapid corridor but will also offer onward access to the Samruddhi Expressway, strengthening regional connectivity.

The project introduces a construction technique being used for the first time in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. The elevated structure will rest on a single-pile, single-pier system, using 2.5-metre monopiles and 40-metre spans, topped with a 25-metre single-segment superstructure. Officials say this design will help optimise speed, stability and ground impact in the densely built eastern belt.

To ensure smoother entry and exit, dedicated ramps will be built at Mulund Check Naka, Airoli Junction and Vikhroli Junction. A 3+3 lane elevated toll plaza is also planned near the Navghar Flyover to manage traffic flow efficiently at peak hours.

In consultation with environmental experts and activists, MMRDA has revised the alignment between Vikhroli and Ghatkopar to save 127 mature Pink Trumpet trees. As part of its compensatory afforestation plan, the agency will also plant 4,175 new trees across the region, reiterating its commitment to sustainable development.

Authorities expect the freeway extension to bring major relief to daily commuters by easing bottlenecks, improving traffic speeds and reducing emissions from idling vehicles. With faster cross-suburb connectivity and improved access to key routes, officials say the project will support economic activity and contribute to a more reliable mobility network across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

Once completed, the elevated corridor is expected to become one of the fastest road links between South Mumbai and Thane, marking a significant milestone in Mumbai’s ongoing transport transformation.