Eastern Freeway's Orange Gate to Marine Drive in Mumbai: Key Points About Upcoming Road Tunnel

Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday laid the foundation stone of an underground road tunnel connecting Eastern Freeway’s Orange Gate to the Marine Drive in Mumbai, which will significantly reduce both: the distance and the travel time. 

Here is all you need to know about the underground tunnel connecting the Eastern Freeway's Orange Gate to Marine Drive:

• The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) gave its nod for the construction of an underground tunnel connecting the Eastern Freeway's Orange Gate to Marine Drive on 13 September 2023.
• The proposed corridor includes a 6.51 kilometers-long twin-tube underground tunnel the foundation stone for which was laid by PM Modi today.
• The underground tunnel features 2+2 traffic lanes, 1+1 emergency lanes, apart from dedicated pedestrian walkways.
• The left-side tunnel is designed to pass beneath the seaway, resurfacing after BD Somani Chowk, with a depth of approximately 40 meters from the ground level.
• The depth of the tunnel has been planned keeping in mind that it does not impede the central railways system or the high-rise buildings.
• Construction of a viaduct for vehicle access at the Eastern Freeway Orange Gate is part of the bigger project.
• Necessary safety measures have been taken by the authorities given the project's proximity to heritage sites and densely populated areas in South Mumbai. 

The Eastern Freeway Project: Key Points You Should Know

• The project, spanning 9.23 kilometers, will create a seamless traffic flow, reducing congestion and travel times in the South Mumbai region.
• Constructed between the Fort in South Mumbai and Eastern Express Highway in Ghatkopar, the freeway has been designed to especially curb the high-speed vehicular traffic. 
• The elevated part of the Eastern Freeway is equipped to handle earthquakes of up to 7.5 magnitude on the Richter Scale. 
• Steel crash barriers have been installed along the freeway so as to prevent vehicles from going into the opposite lanes during mishaps.
• The MMRDA appointed Larson & Toubro Ltd as the contractor for the project that aims to address the escalating traffic concerns at the Orange Gate on P'Dimello Road. 
• Even as the Eastern Freeway has improved transportation between Mankhurd and Chembur Junction, the heightened traffic at the Orange Gate still poses major challenges for the Mumbai Port Trust and the Main Post Office square on the P'Dimello Marg.