In a significant development for Mumbai’s road and bridge infrastructure, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has finally granted approval for the transfer of 19.43 hectares of forest land. The land from Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for the construction of twin tunnels under Phase III of the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR) project has been approved.

As per the press release from the BMC, the twin tunnels, each 4.7 km long and 45.7 metres wide, will run beneath the SGNP in Borivali. With this approval from the Union Ministry, the BMC has begun the compliance process as per the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. 

According to Additional BMC Commissioner (Projects) Abhijit Bangar, the tunnel project is expected to be a milestone not only in transport connectivity but also in the sustainable urban development of Mumbai city and suburbs.