Travelling between Thane and Borivali is set to revolutionise with the MMRDA’s Twin-Tube Road Tunnel project. On its completion, the tunnel will cut down the driving time to 15 minutes and reduce the distance between the areas to 12 kilometres.
Currently, there is no direct route connecting Thane and Borivali. Commuters must rely on the Thane-Ghodbunder Road (SH-42), which serves as a vital link between NH-3 and NH-8 and is heavily used by commercial vehicles, The Indian Express reported.
The existing route spans 23 km, with travel times during peak hours ranging from one to one-and-a-half hours. The new Twin-Tube Tunnel, running beneath the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, is expected to transform this commute.
Once completed, the tunnel will reduce the distance between Thane and Borivali from 23 km to just 12 km. It is estimated that 80,000 to 1,00,000 vehicles will use the tunnel daily, reducing the driving time to approximately 15 minutes.
Highlights of the Twin-Tube Road Tunnel
- Two lanes in each direction, with an additional emergency lane
- Total length: 11.8 km, including a 10.25 km tunnel and 1.55 km approach roads to junctions
- Each tunnel has a diameter of 12.89 metres
- Safety features include cross-connection lanes every 300 metres, fire extinguishers, water hoses, smoke detectors, and illuminated signboards to guide commuters in case of emergencies