The BMC plans a Rs 1,354 crore double-decker bridge to connect Goregaon and Airoli in under 20 minutes. This 1.6 km project aims to ease traffic near Nahur. Abhijit Bangar said, "Once ready, travel time from Goregaon to Airoli will take less than 20 minutes." Completion is targeted for October 2030.
Mumbai's Goregaon-Airoli journey could become remarkably shorter with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) planning a 1.6 km double-decker cable-stayed bridge between Nahur and Airoli. According to an Indian Express report, the bridge is estimated to cost Rs 1,354.52 crore and is being planned as the final phase of the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR).
Once completed, the proposed connectivity is likely to allow vehicles travelling from Mumbai's western suburbs through the GMLR tunnels to proceed towards Airoli without depending on the existing Nahur-Airoli flyover.
Goregaon-Airoli in less than 20 minutes?
The biggest potential benefit for commuters is the reduction in the time between Goregaon and Airoli. Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijit Bangar told Indian Express that the proposed bridge has two main goals. Firstly, to reduce the burden on the existing Nahur-Airoli connection and secondly to offer seamless connectivity between Goregaon and Airoli.
"Once ready, travel time from Goregaon to Airoli will take less than 20 minutes, which now usually takes 1.5-32 hours," Banger said.
How will the double-decker bridge work?
As per the Indian Express report, the 1.6 km bridge will run above and parallel to the existing road connection between Nahur and Airoli.
It will commence near Nahur railway station. Vehicles coming from the western suburbs through the planned underground tunnel would be able to directly access the new bridge. This would help them avoid the existing Nahur-Airoli flyover, which witnesses congestion during peak hours.
On the Airoli side, the proposed bridge will merge with the road near the Airoli toll plaza.
The design also includes four cloverleaf arms, which are intended to provide access for vehicles coming from Thane and Vashi. This would allow traffic from these directions to interlink to the GMLR tunnels towards Goregaon.
Rs 1,354 crore bridge targeted for 2030
According to the Indian Express report, the bridge project is estimated to cost Rs 1,354.52 crore, whereas BMC has appointed the Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI) to conduct a feasibility study and audit the project plan. BMC will pay VJTI Rs 6 crore for this work.
The project plan has already received sanction, and the bridge is targeted for completion by October 2030, the report added.
How does it fit into the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road?
The double-decker bridge is planned as part of the broader Goregaon-Mulund Link Road, a major east-west road connectivity project in Mumbai.
As per a PIB release, the foundation stone for tunnel works under the GMLR worth over Rs 6,300 crore was laid in July 2024. The GMLR is designed to build road connectivity between the Western Express Highway at Goregaon and the Eastern Highway at Mulund.
The tunnel component is around 6.65 km long. The government has stated that the project is projected to enhance connectivity from Mumbai's western suburbs towards the Navi Mumbai-Pune Expressway.
What could change for commuters?
The proposed double-decker bridge is intended to address a key bottleneck at the eastern end of the GMLR by providing an additional connection between Nahur and Airoli. If the project progresses as per the current plan, commuters travelling between Goregaon and Airoli would get more direct road connectivity through the GMLR tunnels and the proposed bridge.