MUMBAI: The excavation of the first tunnel of the two being constructed for the most ambitious Mumbai coastal road project was completed today with the first breakthrough of India's largest tunnel boring machine 'Mavala' at Girgaum Chowpatty seafront connecting the iconic Marine Drive to Priyadarshini Park.

The three-lane coastal road is a Rs 12,721 crore high-speed corridor project that will connect South Mumbai to the Worli-Bandra Sealink aimed to decongest the city and provide relief from traffic. The next stretch from Bandra to Versova is being handled by Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation. 

The tunnel passes under Malabar Hill, a fluent predominantly residential area home to India's rich and famous including houses of ministers and the governor and this major engineering project was launched by the chief minister Uddhav Thackeray  on 11th January 2021 and completed a day short of a year

The twin tunnels will be India's largest 12.19-meter diameter tunnels being constructed 20 metres below the shore of the Arabian Sea and 70 metres below Malabar Hill. 

Guardian Minister for Mumbai Suburbs Aaditya Thackeray tweeted, "We witnessed the completion (excavation) of the 1st Tunnel from Priyadarshini Park towards Marine Drive. It was truly the most incredible moment!".

Thackeray also said that the excavation for the second tunnel will commence in April 2022 and added that his government was committed to completing the whole project by December 2023 and opening it in the service of Mumbaikars.