Final Forest Clearance Secured for Goregaon Mulund Link Road Tunnels

07 Jul 2025 CW Team

This crucial clearance paves the way for the construction of the twin tunnels forming part of the ambitious Goregaon Mulund Link Road (GMLR) project.

Valued at nearly Rs 6.5 billion, the GMLR aims to reduce traffic congestion by connecting Goregaon in Mumbai’s western suburbs to Mulund in the east. Central to the project are the 6.65-kilometre twin tunnels that will begin near Film City in the west and emerge near Mulund’s Amar Junction, an area currently known for a large slum settlement.

These tunnels will run beneath SGNP, traversing complex terrain comprising hillocks, forested areas, and farmland. Since the project involves construction through protected forest land, the state government had sought approval from the Union ministry.

The MOEFCC granted in-principle approval on 2 January 2024, following a thorough examination of the proposal. The final approval was issued under Section 2 of the Forest Conservation Act, 1980.

Stage I approval marks the initial step in permitting diversion of forest land for non-forest uses, followed by the mandatory Stage II clearance.

Officials clarified that although the forest land parcel has been transferred to the BMC, it retains its legal status as forest land. The tunnel, set at depths between 20 to 160 metres beneath the park, is not expected to impact any trees during construction.

In compliance with the Forest Conservation Act, the BMC has formulated an alternative afforestation plan. Plantation and maintenance activities will be carried out over more than 19.5 hectares of non-forest land in Chandrapur district to compensate for the acquired forest area.

Situated within an ecologically sensitive zone, the GMLR project underwent multiple assessments, including an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), environmental and biological studies by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), as well as engineering and geotechnical surveys. Given that the tunnel lies between the Tulsi and Vehar lakes, detailed hydrological studies were also conducted.

Once completed, the GMLR is expected to slash travel time between Mumbai’s eastern and western suburbs from 75 minutes to just 25 minutes. The project is scheduled for completion by October 2028.

Over a year after receiving in-principle (Stage I) approval, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC) on Tuesday granted the final clearance for the diversion of 19.43 hectares of forest land at Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).This crucial clearance paves the way for the construction of the twin tunnels forming part of the ambitious Goregaon Mulund Link Road (GMLR) project.Valued at nearly Rs 6.5 billion, the GMLR aims to reduce traffic congestion by connecting Goregaon in Mumbai’s western suburbs to Mulund in the east. Central to the project are the 6.65-kilometre twin tunnels that will begin near Film City in the west and emerge near Mulund’s Amar Junction, an area currently known for a large slum settlement.These tunnels will run beneath SGNP, traversing complex terrain comprising hillocks, forested areas, and farmland. Since the project involves construction through protected forest land, the state government had sought approval from the Union ministry.The MOEFCC granted in-principle approval on 2 January 2024, following a thorough examination of the proposal. The final approval was issued under Section 2 of the Forest Conservation Act, 1980.Stage I approval marks the initial step in permitting diversion of forest land for non-forest uses, followed by the mandatory Stage II clearance.Officials clarified that although the forest land parcel has been transferred to the BMC, it retains its legal status as forest land. The tunnel, set at depths between 20 to 160 metres beneath the park, is not expected to impact any trees during construction.In compliance with the Forest Conservation Act, the BMC has formulated an alternative afforestation plan. Plantation and maintenance activities will be carried out over more than 19.5 hectares of non-forest land in Chandrapur district to compensate for the acquired forest area.Situated within an ecologically sensitive zone, the GMLR project underwent multiple assessments, including an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), environmental and biological studies by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), as well as engineering and geotechnical surveys. Given that the tunnel lies between the Tulsi and Vehar lakes, detailed hydrological studies were also conducted.Once completed, the GMLR is expected to slash travel time between Mumbai’s eastern and western suburbs from 75 minutes to just 25 minutes. The project is scheduled for completion by October 2028.

Infrastructure Energy

23 Oct 2025

GAIL to Set Up Bengaluru CBG Plant Under New Concession Pact

GAIL (India) Limited has signed a 20-year concession agreement with the Bengaluru City Municipal Corporation (BBMP) to set up a compressed biogas (CBG) plant in the city. The project, expected to produce around 10 tonnes of CBG daily, will utilise municipal solid waste as feedstock, contributing to clean energy generation and efficient waste management. The CBG produced will be used in GAIL’s City Gas Distribution network to promote cleaner fuel usage. The initiative aligns with the government’s Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) scheme and GAIL’s broader ..

Infrastructure Energy

23 Oct 2025

Uttarakhand HC Lifts 31-Year Ban on ONGC’s Contractual Hiring

The Uttarakhand High Court has lifted a 31-year-old ban on the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) from hiring contractual workers, a restriction imposed in 1993. The decision enables ONGC’s Dehradun establishment to employ personnel on a contractual basis to meet operational requirements. The long-standing prohibition had limited ONGC’s ability to fill vacancies in its technical and administrative departments, often leading to project delays and higher dependence on outsourcing. With the court’s directive, the public sector enterprise can now proceed with temporary recruitments whil..

Infrastructure Energy

23 Oct 2025

JSW Energy’s Utkal Unit Bags 400 MW, 25-Year Power Supply Deal

JSW Energy Limited announced that its subsidiary, JSW Energy (Utkal) Limited, has secured a Letter of Award (LoA) from Karnataka’s Power Company of Karnataka Limited (PCKL) for the supply of 400 MW of electricity for 25 years. The agreement is part of a competitive bidding process for long-term procurement of power to meet the state’s growing energy demand. The 400 MW capacity will be supplied from JSW Energy’s upcoming thermal power project in Odisha. This development strengthens JSW Energy’s presence in the southern market and aligns with its strategy to enhance long-term contracte..