GMLR Project Begins SGNP Tunnel Excavation with TBM Tulsi
Excavation work has officially commenced on the subterranean stretch of the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR) project following the commissioning of Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) 'Tulsi'. The machine has begun digging one of two 5.30-kilometre-long, three-lane twin tunnels beneath Sanjay Gandhi National Park, connecting Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari in Goregaon East with Amar Nagar in Mulund West.
Being constructed under Phase 3(B), the overall 6.62-kilometre package includes 17 cross passages, twin-box tunnels, and approach roads. The underground alignment is designed to establish an east-west transit corridor while using advanced tunnelling technology to minimise impact on the national park's environment and biodiversity.
Excavation is being carried out using Earth Pressure Balance (EPB) TBMs, while the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM) will be used to construct the cross passages. The project incorporates state-of-the-art operational and safety infrastructure, including mechanical ventilation, mist-based firefighting systems, CCTV surveillance, SCADA control systems, LED lighting, and modern road signage.
Utility ducts have also been incorporated beneath the roadway within both tunnels. Each tunnel will house a 1,800-mm-diameter water pipeline to enhance the city's utility distribution network while optimising corridor space.
Quality control and project monitoring are being overseen by Tipsya India Private Limited as the Project Management Consultant, IIT Bombay as the Proof Checking Consultant, and VJTI Mumbai as the Third-Party Quality Auditor.
According to a senior civic official, the assembly of TBM-1 (Tulsi) and its Site Acceptance Test have been completed. Assembly of TBM-2 is currently underway, with its excavation scheduled to begin in October 2026. The entire project has a targeted completion date of February 2029.
Once completed, the GMLR is slated to ease vehicular congestion on arterial routes and significantly improve travel between the western suburbs, Mulund, Thane, and Navi Mumbai. Commute times across the corridor are projected to drop from roughly 90 minutes to 20 minutes.
