Second TBM 'Vihar' begins boring under Sanjay Gandhi National Park for Goregaon-Mulund Link Road

The Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR) project has reached a key stage, with excavation now under way in both underground tunnels being built beneath Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP). The first tunnel boring machine (TBM), 'Tulsi', has dug more than 270 metres, while the second, 'Vihar', formally began tunnelling on Saturday, 7 November 2026.

With both machines running, construction of the two underground tunnels under Phase 3(B) of the project is expected to speed up. The 12.20 km Goregaon-Mulund Link Road is a major infrastructure project being built by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to connect Mumbai's eastern and western areas. The project is being completed in four phases.

In Phase 3(B), two parallel underground tunnels are being built using advanced TBM technology. Each tunnel will have three traffic lanes. The tunnels will stretch about 5.34 km beneath Sanjay Gandhi National Park, connecting Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari in Goregaon East with Amar Nagar in Mulund West.

The first machine, 'Tulsi', was started on 17 August 2026 after the required technical processes and trials were completed. Since then it has dug more than 270 metres from the Goregaon end towards Mulund.

Meanwhile, the second machine, 'Vihar', successfully completed its Site Acceptance Test (SAT). This cleared the way for excavation to begin on 7 November.

Like 'Tulsi', 'Vihar' is equipped with advanced single shield Earth Pressure Balance (EPB) technology. The machine has a cutter head diameter of 14.49 metres and a total length of 83 metres. It has a 22-metre shield section and a 61-metre backup gantry section, which is configured over three floors.

EPB technology helps regulate the pressure of the soil at the excavation face during tunnelling. This keeps the ground stable and allows excavation to proceed in a controlled and safe manner.

The start of excavation by the second TBM is an essential step towards completing the twin-tunnel infrastructure under Sanjay Gandhi National Park. The entire Goregaon-Mulund Link Road project is targeted for completion by February 2029. Once operational, it is expected to improve east-west connectivity in Mumbai considerably and give commuters a second route between the city's eastern and western suburbs.