Mumbai has launched an ambitious infrastructure project named ‘Paatal Lok’, a 70-kilometre underground tunnel network designed to tackle the city’s chronic traffic congestion. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced the plan during a recent session of the India International Movement to Unite Nations (IIMUN) Youth Connect, describing the tunnels as a “parallel network to existing arterial roads” that would enable vehicles to travel at speeds of up to 80 km per hour.

Seventy-Kilometre Tunnel Network

The ‘Paatal Lok’ network will be developed in three phases. The first phase involves a 16-kilometre tunnel loop connecting key points such as the Worli Sea Link, Bandra-Kurla Complex, and the airport. This will be followed by a 10-kilometre east-west corridor linking the Eastern Express Highway and Western Express Highway. The third and most extensive phase will establish a 44-kilometre north-south tunnel running across Mumbai’s entire length. Sections like the Atal Setu to Girgaon Chowpatty tunnel, expected within three years, and the nearly 12-kilometre Thane-Borivali twin tunnel, which is set to reduce travel time from 90 minutes to just 15, are already underway.

Fadnavis highlighted the importance of this project by pointing out that 60 percent of Mumbai’s traffic travels on the Western Express Highway, making its decongestion crucial. He explained, “From south Mumbai to the domestic airport, people will reach in 20 minutes once the Bandra to Bandra Kurla Complex tunnel is complete,” emphasising how the tunnel network will offer a lasting solution to Mumbai’s traffic woes.

Estimated Costs and Funding Sources

The project’s estimated costs run into several thousands of crores, with funding expected from a combination of state and central government budgets, international loans, and possibly public-private partnerships. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) will oversee the project, with completion of major infrastructure expected over the next decade, particularly by 2032.

Metro Expansion

Apart from tunnels, there is a strong focus on expanding Mumbai’s metro network. From 2026, the government aims to add 50 kilometres of metro lines annually, aiming for full metro coverage by 2030. Simultaneously, Mumbai’s suburban railway, serving around nine million daily passengers, will be upgraded with air-conditioned trains and automatic doors comparable to metro standards, while keeping second-class fares unchanged. The Mumbai One app, launched in late 2025, will further simplify commuting by offering unified ticketing for metro, monorail, suburban trains, and BEST buses via a single QR code.

This integrated approach to urban transport reflects a forward-looking vision for Mumbai’s future. By developing an underground road network alongside rapid metro expansion and suburban rail modernisation, the city hopes to reduce travel times, cut pollution, and improve commuter safety and comfort. The ‘Paatal Lok’ project thus promises to redefine urban mobility in Mumbai and could serve as a model for other congested cities across India.

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