Marine Drive set for fresh reclamation as MMRDA plans road widening for Orange Gate tunnel

3 min readMumbaiJun 17, 2026 08:11 PM IST

Under the proposal, five additional lanes will be created on the seaward side. (Google Photo)

A section of Marine Drive in South Mumbai is set for another round of reclamation, this time to widen the carriageway near Girgaum Chowpatty and accommodate traffic emerging from the proposed Orange Gate-Marine Drive tunnel.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has proposed reclaiming 2,298 square metres of the Arabian Sea over a 300-metre stretch near Jawahar Bal Bhavan at a cost of around Rs 40 crore. The reclamation will allow the existing eight-lane Marine Drive carriageway to be expanded to 13 lanes at the tunnel exit point and will also provide space for a wider promenade.

The widening has been proposed as part of the 9.96-km Orange Gate-Marine Drive tunnel project, which will connect the Eastern Freeway with the Mumbai Coastal Road. The six-lane tunnel is planned to surface near Girgaum Chowpatty before merging with Marine Drive.

According to MMRDA officials, without widening the road, traffic from the tunnel could create bottlenecks on the existing carriageway.

“The road widening is being done to ensure that the existing road capacity remains intact and to meet future traffic needs. At least three lanes in each direction between Marine Drive and Girgaum Chowpatty need to be maintained. The proposal will help ensure smooth traffic movement and better integration of the tunnel with the existing road network,” an MMRDA official said.

Under the proposal, five additional lanes will be created on the seaward side. While part of the existing promenade will be absorbed into the expanded roadway, the reclamation will also create space for a broader promenade along the stretch.

The proposal has been submitted to the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) as the site falls within the Coastal Regulation Zone. Environmental and coastal clearances for the road widening, as well as approvals for the tunnel project, are awaited.

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The Orange Gate-Marine Drive tunnel, estimated to cost over Rs 8,056 crore, is aimed at providing a direct east-west link across South Mumbai. Excavation of the twin tunnels is currently underway from the Orange Gate end, with the project slated for completion in 2028.

Sabah Virani is a journalist with The Indian Express’ Mumbai bureau, covering infrastructure, housing and urban issues. In the realms of technical fields, she brings out human stories and the pace of change ongoing in the city.

Expertise

Specialised Role: Tracking infrastructure in Mumbai and the wider Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Sabah’s reporting tracks progress on various projects. From bridges to metros, she mixes technical details with resourceful information.

Core coverage areas: Sabah keeps a close eye on the activities of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and its projects across the MMR, including the metros, road projects, bridges, the bullet train, pod taxi, its role as a planning authority, and more. She also watches for developments from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra (CIDCO) and the GoM’s Urban Development department.

Housing: Sabah also tracks developments in housing, particularly the workings of the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA). She also keeps a keen watch on the big redevelopment projects ongoing in Mumbai, including the Dharavi Redevelopment Project, Motilal Nagar, Kamathipura, BDD Chawl redevelopment, among others.

Occasionally, she reports on the environment, biodiversity, waste, arts and culture.

Experience: Prior to working for the Indian Express, Sabah covered the municipality, civic issues and miscellaneous for Hindustan Times. Before that, she covered all things Mumbai for the online publication Citizen Matters. She has also worked as an editorial assistant at FiftyTwo.in.

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