Thane residents win relief as Borivli tunnel entry realigned

Thane: In a victory for the residents of Mullabaug in Thane, MMRDA will realign the Thane-end entry and exit points of the twin tunnel highway to Borivili through a covered route which is likely to be at a carriageway depth of five metres. This adjustment ensures the alignment bypasses the densely populated cluster of high-rise buildings in the vicinity before surfacing several meters ahead of Ghodbunder Highway.

The revised plan received an in-principle nod from deputy CM and MMRDA chairman Eknath Shinde on Tuesday. MMRDA officials said fresh surveys will be conducted to finalize the alignment, adding that a rise in project cost is likely due to the changes. Residents from housing societies including Cosmos Lounge, Neelkanth Greens, Neelkanth Woods, The Verraton, and Shree Satya Shankar -- united under the banner of Mullabaug Project Affected People -- had voiced strong opposition to the original alignment. The earlier plan routed the tunnel's exit through their "tranquil neighborhood", stoking concerns over traffic congestion and pollution.

In April, residents staged protests and submitted representations to public officials, including Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske and NCP (SP) MLA Jitendra Awhad. The matter was covered in detail by TOI.

"The Thane-end of the tunnel will be extended by 200 metres towards the boundary wall of Shree Satya Shankar society, closer to Ghodbunder Highway. This realignment will bring much-needed relief from traffic congestion for locals," Shinde announced following a meeting with representatives from the MMRDA, the municipal corporation, and resident delegations in Mumbai.

An MMRDA official explained, "The tunnel entry and exit will now be underground until it reaches beyond the residential zone. The road will remain approximately five meters underground. Either the cut-and-cover method or box tunnelling will be used. The six-lane highway will emerge 50 meters past the Shree Satya Shankar society compound wall, near the Thane-end toll plaza ahead of the Ghodbunder junction."

Before finalizing the new alignment, 12 alternative routes were evaluated. A detailed route map, along with revised cost estimates, will be released at a later stage, officials said.

"We're pleased that the key demands raised by the Mullabaug Project Affected People have been addressed," said Nitin Singh, a resident of one of the affected societies.