A year after the excavation of the 2-km long tunnel from Priyadarshani Park to Marine Drive was completed by India’s largest TBM (tunnel boring machine) Machine ‘Mawla’, a breakthrough in the tunnel will take place in the next few days, officials told The Print.
The tunnel is part of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) ambitious Coastal Road project being built at a cost Rs 12,721 core. The ambitious plan entails constructing twin tunnels along the 10.6 km stretch of the Mumbai Coastal Road, spanning from Princess Street in Marine Drive to the Worli end of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. Each tunnel will cover a distance of 2.07 km, running from Priyadarshini Park to Girgaum Chowpatty.
The north-bound tunnel from Priyadarshini Park to Marine Drive spans 2072 meters, while the south-bound tunnel is slightly longer at 2082 meters. This 10-meter difference is due to a slight curvature along the route.
Setback
During the tunneling process, a portion of the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) encountered damage, resulting in a three-month suspension of the tunneling work, according to a report in March. Fortunately, the work resumed in March end after the arrival of the TBM’s much-needed spare part from Italy.
A breakthrough in the southbound tunnel, specifically from Marine Drive to Priyadarshini Park, was expected to occur around April 15.
However, a The Print article dated May 17 stated that in the upcoming “seven to nine days”, Mavala will reach the other end, marking the completion of its two-year mission.
The achievement will etch Mumbai’s name in history as the city constructs India’s inaugural undersea twin tunnels. These tunnels will also facilitate faster commuting by reducing travel time between West and South Mumbai.
According to Sandeep Singh, the project manager at Larsen & Toubro, the construction team is currently dedicated to achieving the breakthrough of the second tunnel. Larsen & Toubro is the company responsible for building a section of the coastal road.
Although they initially aimed to reach daylight a few months earlier, a minor issue with a part of the tunnel boring machine caused a delay. However, Singh assured that the team is “fully prepared now.”
On the Priyadarshini Park end of the tunnel, a massive red-colored mega lift structure system has already been installed, eagerly awaiting the arrival of Mavala. Once the tunnel boring machine reaches that point and demolishes the final rock obstruction, the mega lift will disassemble it into five parts to clear the site, the report said.
A dedicated team of 160 individuals, including 30 engineers, is undertaking the task of constructing the 2.07-kilometer twin tunnels through the challenging terrain of the sea and hills, all while being in close proximity to heritage buildings, as per the report.
In addition to the tunnel construction, the BMC is also involved in a land reclamation project, aiming to reclaim 111 hectares of land from the sea. Out of this, 70 hectares will be dedicated to recreational purposes and serve as a green zone. It will feature amenities like a cycle track, jogging area, open auditorium, butterfly garden, and more.
The project also entails the creation of a new 7.5-kilometer long promenade, surpassing the length of the iconic Marine Drive. Engineers involved in the project anticipate that the entire coastal road will be open for public use by early next year. As per a recent presentation given by BMC officials, the civic body has already completed 74.31% of the total work required for the road.
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