Mumbai: The BMC budget has proposed a multimodal, multi-deck underground tunnel connectivity project to tackle traffic congestion. The system will be designed to carry vehicular traffic on one level, and utilities and drainage systems on another. The drainage system will also serve in flood mitigation during heavy rainfall.“Underground tunnel-based connectivity will be constructed at traffic choke points to relieve congestion. As constructing tunnels is an expensive affair, we need to use them for other purposes too. In case of the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR), we have a water pipeline under the tunnel. So, on similar lines, we intend to have utilities under the tunnel used for transport. Several countries like Singapore have multimodal or multi-utility tunnels, for transport and draining rainwater, etc. We have not identified the locations; the project management consultant will do it for us,” said a civic official. The estimated tunnel cost per km is Rs 732 crore. The work order has been issued to the consultant for a feasibility study, master plan and DPR, bid process management and supervise construction. tnn
