Mumbai: The last consignment of the first Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) meant for the Goregaon – Mulund Link Road (GMLR) twin-tunnel project has reached Film City in Goregaon East, marking a major milestone. A second TBM is expected by December, while the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has already dug 3.5 metres of the launch shaft.
Assembly & Logistics
Senior civic officials said several containers carrying the Japanese-made machine were off-loaded at JNPT and hauled to the site on trailers. With all parts now on location, crews will spend roughly four months assembling the TBM, and full-scale boring is slated to begin in August 2026.
Launch Shaft Specifications
The shaft 200 m long, 50 m wide and 35 m deep will house the lowering and assembly of both TBMs. Film City authorities have allocated about 10,000 sq m at Josh Maidan for storing and fitting the equipment. Around 3 lakh cu m of earth must be removed before tunnelling can start, officials added.
Project Scope
Phase 3(B) of the ₹6,500-crore GMLR scheme includes a 6.65-km stretch featuring a 1.22-km triple-lane box tunnel at Film City and twin tunnels beneath Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP). The route will begin at Film City in Goregaon East and surface at Amar Junction in Mulund, now a densely populated slum. Of the total length, 5.30 km will be bored by TBMs, with the remaining 1.35 km comprising approach roads and the box segment.
Engineering Features
The twin tubes will run 20–160 m below ground, linked by cross-passages every 300 m. Both TBMs will launch from Film City to cut through SGNP’s hilly, forested terrain and farmland.
Timeline & Benefits
BMC aims to finish tunnelling by October 2028. Once complete, the 12.2-km GMLR will bridge the Western Express Highway at Goregaon and the Eastern Express Highway at Mulund, trimming travel time from 75 minutes to about 25. Built in four phases for roughly ₹14,000 crore, the corridor promises seamless east-west connectivity across Mumbai.
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