Mumbai to go ‘traffic-free’ in three years as MMRDA plans 70-km tunnels

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced an ambitious three-year plan to make Mumbai “traffic-free,” backed by a sweeping network of underground tunnels, parallel roads and high-speed corridors designed to ease the city’s crippling congestion.

The push coincides with the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority’s (MMRDA) launch of a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for a new 70-km underground tunnel road system, billed as a transformative “third mode of mobility” for the metropolis.

Speaking at a BJP ‘Youth Connect’ programme, Fadnavis described the upcoming tunnel system as a “pataal lok” — an underground web of fast-moving corridors that he said would permanently ease the strain on Mumbai’s overburdened road network.

60% of traffic sits on WEH — parallel roads, tunnels to relieve burden

Fadnavis said nearly 60% of Mumbai’s traffic load currently depends on the Western Express Highway (WEH), making parallel corridors essential. The government is now constructing new road links that will allow speeds of up to 80 kmph, compared to the current 20–15 kmph average during peak hours.

Mumbai’s new mobility plan — key projects at a glance

• Fadnavis’ 3-Year “Traffic-Free Mumbai” Plan

• City-wide underground tunnel network described as “pataal lok”

• Parallel highways to relieve pressure on existing routes

• Thane–Borivali and Mulund–Goregaon tunnels to boost east–west links

• WEH parallel road between Borivali and Goregaon for high-speed travel

• Worli–Sewri bridge connecting directly to Atal Setu and Navi Mumbai Airport

• New Bandra-Worli Sea Link extension to BKC and airport

• Goal: Reduce south Mumbai–airport travel time to 20 minute

• MMRDA’s 70-km underground tunnel network (DPR stage)

• Phase 1: 16-km Worli–airport tunnel

• Phase 2: 10-km East–West connector

• Phase 3: 44-km North–South corridor

• Integrated linkages with coastal road, metros and major corridors

• Estimated cost: ₹1.05 lakh crore

• Aims for Tokyo/Singapore-style multi-level mobility system

• Geological, environmental, and socio-economic studies underway

A series of major tunnel projects—from Thane to Borivali, Mulund to Goregaon, and a new underground link from the end of the Eastern Freeway to Girgaum Chowpatty—are expected to vastly enhance east-west and north-south connectivity.

The CM also highlighted new infrastructure integrating suburban Mumbai with the coastal road and Atal Setu, including a bridge from Worli to Sewri and an extended corridor connecting the Bandra-Worli Sea Link to the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) and further to the airport.

Once complete, Fadnavis said, travel time from south Mumbai to the airport will drop to about 20 minutes.

MMRDA begins work on 70-km underground tunnel DPR

In a parallel development reported by Times of India, the MMRDA has begun drafting a DPR for a 70-km network of underground tunnels, aimed at establishing a multi-level, integrated mobility grid across Mumbai.

The tunnel system — envisioned as the city’s third major transportation tier after roads and metros — will be executed in three phases: Phase 1: 16-km Worli–airport link; Phase 2: 10-km East–West connector and Phase 3: 44-km North–South corridor

The project is estimated to cost ₹1.05 lakh crore (Rs1,000 billion or Rs1 trillion) and would place Mumbai alongside global cities such as Tokyo and Singapore, which operate extensive underground mobility networks.

MMRDA chief Sanjay Mukherjee said the tunnels will decongest surface roads, improve cross-city travel and deliver seamless integration with existing metro and coastal road systems.

Comprehensive studies on geology, environment, social impact and design are underway, with phased execution planned based on traffic demand and feasibility.

A vision to transform Mumbai into a global economic powerhouse

Fadnavis reiterated that Mumbai’s rise as a global economic hub depends on its ability to move people and goods efficiently. The combined initiatives—underground tunnels, parallel highways, coastal road integration and airport-linked corridors—form the backbone of the government’s sweeping mobility vision for the next decade.

-- With IANS inputs