Delhi-Mumbai tunnel to pass under Matheran hills; reducing travel time to 12 hours
Delhi-Mumbai tunnel to pass under Matheran hills; reducing travel time to 12 hours
New Delhi-Mumbai Tunnel to Cut Travel Time to 12 Hours
Key Highlights:
– New tunnel to cut the Badlapur to Panvel travel time from 1.5 hours to just 15 minutes.
– The 1350 km tunnel, the longest in the world, will connect Delhi to Uran’s JNPT port.
– The tunnel will feature a 4.39 km eight-lane section through Matheran’s eco-sensitive zone.
– Project set to significantly reduce road travel time between Delhi and Mumbai from 24 hours to 12 hours.
A groundbreaking infrastructure project promises to revolutionize travel between Mumbai and Delhi. The new Delhi tunnel, passing under the hills of Matheran, will reduce the travel time between the two cities to just 12 hours. The tunnel will start at Morbe village near Panvel and extend to Bhoj village near Ambernath in Thane district.
This 4 km long tunnel is a part of the Vadodara-Mumbai Expressway. 8 cross passes are being made in this tunnel, which will help wild animals to cross the road. Excavation work for building the tunnel has been started from Badlapur in Thane district, which is a part of Matheran Hills.
Spanning 1350 km, this road is set to be the longest in the world and will connect Delhi to the JNPT port in Uran. The tunnel will feature a 4.39 km eight-lane section passing through the eco-sensitive zone of Matheran’s hills. This project aims to drastically cut the travel time from Badlapur to Panvel from one and a half hours to just 15 minutes over a 38 km stretch.
Starting Points: Morbe village (near Panvel) to Bhoj village (near Ambernath)
Construction Cost: INR 1,453 crores for the tunnel
Completion Date: Expected by 2025
Funding: Total project cost estimated at INR 1 lakh crore
The National Highway Authority has awarded the construction contract to IRCON Company, following approval from the Environment Department. This ambitious project is expected to have far-reaching impacts, reducing the road travel time between Mumbai and Delhi from 24 hours to just 12 hours.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has also announced plans to build a subway tunnel to alleviate traffic congestion in Thane and accelerate travel between Thane, Vasai, Virar, Mira, and Bhayander. This tunnel will stretch from Vasai, Fountain Hotel Naka to Gaymukh, Thane, alongside an elevated road from Fountain Hotel to Bhayander.
Subway Tunnel and Elevated Road: Four-lane tunnel and six-lane elevated road
Project Cost: INR 20 thousand crore
These initiatives are expected to resolve traffic jams in Ghodbunder and streamline travel within the region. Currently, 25% of the work on the tunnel connecting Badlapur city to the JNPT Vadodara highway has been completed.
Once finished, this new infrastructure will not only provide a faster commute between Badlapur and Panvel but also offer direct connectivity to Baroda and JNPT, marking a significant milestone in India’s transportation network.
