Two undersea tunnels are under construction in Mumbai city, as a part of the 10.58 kms long, Mumbai’s Coastal Road Project. 2 tunnels each 3-3.2 m wide are constructed for 2.07 km long of which one kilometer is constructed under the seabed.
Notably, this is India’s 1st Undersea Tunnel which will come to operation by 2023.
The Tunnel is being build by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
The tunnel will start from the Priyadarshani Park and will terminate at the Netaji Subhash Road in Marine Drive.
It is the first undersea road tunnel in the country which will pass through Arabian Sea near Girgaon Chowpatty.
About Undersea Tunnel:
i.2 undersea tunnels built as a part of Mumbai city’s Rs. 2,798.44 crore coastal road project.
ii.Constructed at 20m below the seabed.
iii.The tunnel will be connecting North Mumbai with South Mumbai, as a toll-free path easing up traffic.
iv.A 2,800 tonnes, India’s Biggest Tunnel Boring Machine, “Mavala” is used as an alternative to drilling & blasting methods to create smooth tunnel walls.
Challenges in Undersea Construction:
- Risk of Sea water entry into the tunnel.
- Stability of the tunnel structure.
- Air ventilation to avoid health risks caused by hazardous gas like Carbon Monoxide released from cars.
Features of the Tunnel:
i.Uses 1st of its kind Ventilation system, “Saccardo”.
ii.Saccardo system constantly monitors emission levels inside the tunnel, and drives out the gases with air jet & ventilation fans.
iii.Waste water & Oil spills are collected through slotted drainage traps.
iv.Both the tunnels are connected at multiple points, to facilitate smoother exit incase of any accident.
Note –Meanwhile, India will also get an undersea tunnel as a part of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project, which will be built by the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL).
Recent Related News:
i.PM Inaugurates ‘Atal Tunnel’- World’s Longest Highway Tunnel in Himachal Pradesh.
ii.Maharashtra Govt Signed Rs 35,000-crore worth MoUs with 15 companies during ‘Magnetic Maharashtra 2.0’ in Mumbai.
Some Popular Undersea Tunnels:
The Seikan Tunnel in Japan is the world’s longest undersea tunnel, that lies 140m below the seabed.
The Channel Tunnel connects England with France, lies 75m below the seabed.
