Thane to South Mumbai in Half an Hour? MMRDA’s New Freeway Project Underway
MMRDA begins construction of Mumbai–Thane Elevated Eastern Freeway Extension to cut travel time.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has commenced construction on the much-anticipated Elevated Eastern Freeway Extension, a 13.9-kilometer fully elevated six-lane high-speed corridor connecting South Mumbai with Thane. Once completed, this new infrastructure will dramatically cut travel time to just 25–30 minutes and significantly reduce congestion on the Eastern Express Highway, a vital artery for hundreds of thousands of daily commuters.
The corridor will run from Anand Nagar in Thane to Chheda Nagar in Ghatkopar, passing major points including Mulund, Airoli, JVLR, Vikhroli, Kanjurmarg, Mankhurd, and Ghatkopar, creating a seamless high-speed link. In Thane, it will connect directly to the ongoing Anand Nagar–Saket Elevated Road near Mulund Octroi Naka and onward to the Samruddhi Expressway, enhancing regional connectivity and economic activity across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
Engineered with robust infrastructure, the freeway will feature 2.5-meter diameter monopiles, piers with 40-meter spans, and a 25-meter-wide single-segment superstructure. It will employ a pioneering single-pile, single-pier system unique to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Access ramps will be constructed near Mulund Check Naka, Airoli Junction, and Vikhroli Junction, along with a six-lane toll plaza near Navghar Flyover. These elements aim to provide uninterrupted, safe, and efficient travel.
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Environmentally, MMRDA has collaborated with experts to redesign the corridor to save 127 Pink Trumpet trees along the Vikhroli–Ghatkopar stretch. Additionally, a compensatory plantation of 4,175 trees is planned to enhance the city’s green cover. Preliminary surveys and test pile installations are complete, with geotechnical investigations and utility relocations well underway. Civil work is progressing steadily, with visible pier casting at multiple points along the route.
The Elevated Eastern Freeway Extension promises to revolutionize transit between South Mumbai and Thane, reducing pollution and ramping up road safety while stimulating economic growth. As infrastructure development accelerates, commuters and stakeholders anticipate a transformative improvement in Mumbai's urban mobility landscape.
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