Second TBM 'Arjuna' Launched on Thane Side of Thane-Borivali Twin Tunnel Project

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority’s Thane-Borivali Twin Tunnel project achieved a key milestone on Thursday with the launch of the second Tunnel Boring Machine, named ‘Arjuna’, on the Thane side of the corridor. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis officially launched the machine during an e-inauguration ceremony for infrastructure works across the region.

The project will construct the country’s longest underground road tunnel, establishing a direct twin underground corridor between Thane and Borivali. The project is designed to substantially reduce the current travel distance between the two destinations.

The existing 23-kilometre road distance between Thane and Borivali will effectively be reduced to 11 kilometres through the twin underground corridor. By bypassing the existing surface route, the completed link will cut travel time significantly. The journey between Thane and Borivali is expected to take only 12 to 15 minutes after the completion of the project.

The deployment of ‘Arjuna’ allows construction work on both tubes of the twin-tunnel system to move forward in parallel. The project's first tunnel boring machine, named ‘Nayak’, has already been deployed on the Thane side to excavate the first tunnel. With ‘Arjuna’ now operational alongside ‘Nayak’, construction of the two tunnels will progress simultaneously from the Thane end.

In addition to the two machines deployed on the Thane end, two more tunnel boring machines are expected to be deployed soon on the Borivali side of the twin-tunnel project to facilitate excavation from both directions.

Speaking during the e-inauguration of the MMRDA infrastructure projects, Fadnavis said Thursday was an important day for transportation infrastructure in the region. He expressed confidence that the infrastructure projects inaugurated would provide a major mobility booster for commuters.