TBM ‘Nayak’ Starts 15-Minute Journey

Know Your Town April 6, 2026 Borivali, Devendra Fadnavis, eknath shinde, Latest News Thane, Sunetra Pawar, Thane-Borivali Tunnel

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar are set to inaugurate the construction of the Thane-Borivali twin tunnel on April 7. This project aims to connect Ghodbunder Road in Thane directly to the Western Express Highway. It is also considered a part of the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road project. MMRDA sources indicate a target completion date of 2028.

The inauguration will take place from Manpada using a Tunnel Boring Machine. ‘Nayak’, India’s only Single Shield Hard Rock TBM, will be used for the excavation. Once the tunnel is complete, the 60–90-minute journey from Thane to Borivali will be reduced to just 15 minutes.

The 11.84-kilometer route will pass underneath the Sanjay Gandhi National Park. Efforts will be made to ensure minimal environmental impact on the forest area.
The twin tunnel section will span 10.25 kilometers.

The twin tunnels will have a total of three lanes, including one dedicated emergency lane. Cross-passages will be constructed every 300 meters. The tunnels will be equipped with fire-extinguishing systems, smoke detectors, and LED-based instruction displays.