BMC May Scrap Grant Road Flyover for Sustainable Tunnel Option

09 Apr 2025 CW Team

In a shift towards sustainable urban infrastructure, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is considering cancelling the proposed elevated flyover connecting Grant Road to Orange Gate. Estimated at Rs 13.29 billion, the flyover was intended to ease traffic in one of Mumbai’s most congested corridors.

However, the project now faces redundancy due to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority’s (MMRDA) ambitious underground tunnel, which would cover much of the same alignment. The 4.46-kilometre-long tunnel—planned to run from Marine Drive to Orange Gate—will lie around 40 metres below ground and include two car lanes and an emergency lane, offering seamless traffic flow without disrupting surface-level activity.

Officials argue that, unlike the flyover, the tunnel avoids complex land acquisition in densely populated areas, offering a more sustainable, less disruptive alternative. The original flyover plan—designed as a cable-stayed bridge with a dispersal arm—would have spanned 5.6 kilometres, cutting travel time from 45 minutes to just five to seven minutes.

Though tenders for the flyover were awarded in March 2024 and soil testing commenced in November, the tunnel’s potential to deliver similar benefits without environmental and social costs has gained favour.

Experts and municipal officials, including stakeholders from the MMRDA and traffic police, are currently in discussions to finalise the decision. Environmentalists have welcomed the likely cancellation, noting its alignment with goals for zero net carbon emissions and gender-inclusive urban planning.

Should the flyover be scrapped, Mumbai may well set a precedent in India for favouring subterranean infrastructure that prioritises ecological balance, community welfare, and smart urban mobility.

Infrastructure Transport

01 Jun 2026

MMRDA advances 250 m on Orange Gate–Marine Drive tunnel

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has completed 250 m of underground tunnelling for the Orange Gate–Marine Drive Urban Road Tunnel using India’s largest slurry shield tunnel boring machine (TBM) deployed for an urban road project.The project involves twin tunnels extending over 7 km beneath critical transport corridors, including Central Railway, Western Railway and Metro Line 3. The work requires high-precision engineering to navigate densely developed urban infrastructure.Once completed, the tunnel is expected to reduce travel time between Orange Gate and Marin..

Hindustan Zinc Pays Rs 188.46 Billion in FY26

Hindustan Zinc contributed Rs 188.46 billion to the public exchequer in FY 2025-26, according to its 9th Tax Transparency Report. The contribution, equivalent to 46 per cent of the company’s revenue, included direct and indirect taxes, government royalties, dividends to the Government of India, withholding taxes and other statutory levies.The company’s five-year cumulative contribution to the exchequer stood at Rs 915.72 billion. In FY26, Hindustan Zinc reported revenue of Rs 408.44 billion, EBITDA of Rs 221.62 billion and profit after tax of Rs 138.32 billion. It also achieved its highest..

World of Concrete India 2026 Opens in Mumbai

Informa Markets in India will host the 12th edition of World of Concrete India 2026 from 3–5 June 2026 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai. The specialised B2B exhibition will bring together manufacturers, suppliers, contractors, developers, architects, consultants, infrastructure companies, project leaders and government stakeholders.The event is expected to feature over 350 brands and more than 18,000 trade professionals. It will cover concrete and cement, dry mortar, precast technologies, formwork, construction chemicals, industrial and commercial flooring, scaffolding, safety solutio..