By Arosh John | Founder – John Real Estate (MahaRERA Reg. No. A51700001835) | Editor-in-Chief – Thane Real Estate News (TREN)
Thane – MMR | November 2025
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has initiated formal groundwork for what could become one of India’s most ambitious underground mobility programmes.
A public tender issued in October 2025 seeks a consultant to prepare the Techno-Economic Feasibility Report (TEFR) and Detailed Project Report (DPR) for an underground corridor connecting Worli → Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) → Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport Terminal 2 (CSMIA T2).
The consultancy, valued at roughly ₹17 crore, carries a seven-month timeline — marking the first concrete step toward a city-wide subsurface transport grid.
(Tender Ref: MMRDA e-Procurement Portal ED-Transport/FMS/06/2025)
Existing Underground Initiatives Already on Record
- Orange Gate – Marine Drive Tunnel: listed on MMRDA’s project archive; connects the Eastern Freeway to the Coastal Road, easing congestion in South Mumbai.
- Thane – Borivali Twin-Tube Tunnel: an 11.85 km corridor beneath the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, cleared by the State Wildlife Board (Oct 2023) and now in preparatory stages.
- Airport Connectivity Study: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has directed MMRDA to examine an underground link between BKC and the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) — a potential east-west express tunnel.
Clarifying the “70 km / Three-Phase Network” Narrative
According to multiple national media reports quoting MMRDA officials, the Authority’s long-term vision includes a 70 km underground tunnel network proposed in three phases:
Phase 1 (~16 km) Worli – BKC – CSMIA T2; Phase 2 (~10 km) east-west link between the Eastern and Western Express Highways; and Phase 3 (~44 km) a north-south corridor to integrate the city’s subsurface routes.
As of November 2025, only Phase 1 has reached the consultant-appointment stage through a public tender.
The other two phases are currently under detailed internal planning and feasibility review, with MMRDA expected to issue separate DPR and environmental-assessment tenders once alignment and geotechnical surveys are complete.
Editorial Note:
“MMRDA has so far advanced only the Worli–BKC–Airport T2 corridor to DPR stage. The remaining phases remain in planning and pre-feasibility evaluation; upcoming technical and environmental studies will determine the final scale of the 70-kilometre network.”
Strategic Implications for Thane & the MMR Market
1 | Connectivity Catalyst
Phase 1’s Worli–BKC–Airport corridor will significantly reduce travel times and enhance access to eastern suburbs via EEH and JVLR, strengthening investor confidence in micro-markets such as Ghatkopar, Mulund, and Thane.
2 | Surface Relief & Urban Renewal
By shifting traffic underground, MMRDA can reclaim major arterial stretches for public transport, walkability, and mixed-use redevelopment — improving daily mobility while steadily enhancing surrounding land values.
3 | Medium-Term Investment Horizon
The positive impact for Thane is expected to unfold gradually over the next five to ten years as later phases progress. At present, the project functions as a long-term strategic positioning driver rather than a near-term price accelerator.
4 | Risk Awareness
Project timelines hinge on several variables — technical feasibility, environmental permissions, and funding approvals. Such large-scale infrastructure initiatives evolve over years, not months, and should be viewed as sustained value catalysts rather than immediate triggers.
Editorial Perspective
Mumbai’s land constraints ensure its next expansion will be downward. A multi-phase underground network can transform commuting patterns and redefine the value of connectivity. For Thane stakeholders, tracking each DPR and tender milestone offers a competitive edge in identifying future mobility-linked value zones.
About the Author
Arosh John is a real-estate entrepreneur, market analyst, and founder of John Real Estate (MahaRERA Reg. No. A51700001835). He also serves as the Editor-in-Chief of Thane Real Estate News (TREN) — a trusted digital platform delivering evidence-based real-estate reporting and infrastructure intelligence across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. With over a decade of on-ground experience in residential sales, luxury villas, and infrastructure-driven growth corridors, Arosh combines local market data, regulatory insight and investment strategy to decode how urban planning translates into property value creation. His work is regularly referenced by industry stakeholders seeking clarity on Thane and MMR’s emerging real-estate trends.
Disclaimer
This article is based solely on information available from MMRDA and the Government of Maharashtra as of November 2025, including official tenders and policy records. It is intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as investment advice. Readers should verify project details via official MMRDA and MahaRERA portals before making any property decisions.
