The National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has given the green light for a tunnel between Thane and Borivali. This tunnel will pass through the heart of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP). The approval came at the NBWL meeting on January 30.
The project will require the felling of 235 trees. Prior to this, the State Board for Wildlife (SBWL) had approved soil testing in the SGNP in October 2023, which affected 122 trees. The SBWL also permitted blasting in the core zone for soil strata examination.
According to reports, work on the tunnel will commence soon. Advanced technology would be used, and trees would be planted to compensate for the loss. A 35.53-hectare plot in Umravati village, Phulambri tehsil, Aurangabad, will be used for compensatory afforestation. This is because trees cut down in one location do not need to be compensated for in the same area.
The proposed twin-tube tunnel, approximately 11.8 km long, falls within SGNP and its ecologically sensitive area. About 10.06 km of the road will pass under the protected area. The tunnel will connect Tikuji Ni Wadi in Thane to Borivali in Mumbai.
The current roads go around the national park and experience heavy traffic throughout the year. The tunnel beneath the park is seen as a solution to alleviate pressure on the protected area caused by traffic and human habitation.
The tunnel, being just 25 metres below ground, may cause little to no harm to wildlife during construction. It is also assured that there will be no harm after post-construction either.
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