Mumbai will be traffic free in next three years, says Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday announced a comprehensive plan to make Mumbai "traffic-free" in the next three years by building a network of underground tunnels and parallel roads.

The Chief Minister described the city's upcoming underground road system as a 'pataal lok' (underworld) during a Bharatiya Janata Party 'Youth Connect' interaction programme, asserting it would permanently ease commuter congestion.

Fadnavis said that the government has a comprehensive plan to construct a city-wide web of tunnels and parallel routes alongside chronically choked roads, relieving pressure on existing arteries.

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He confirmed that building this system of underground corridors will make Mumbai free of chronic traffic snarls in the coming years.

The Chief Minister pointed out that approximately 60 per cent of Mumbai’s traffic load currently runs along the Western Express Highway, and reducing this burden is central to any viable solution.

Parallel roads are being built to address this, with new corridors being designed to permit vehicle speeds up to 80 km per hour, significantly cutting bottlenecks, in contrast to the current average speed of about 20 km per hour, which drops to 15 km per hour during the peak hours in the city, he said.

Fadnavis said that an underground tunnel is currently under construction between Thane and Borivali, with another planned between Mulund and Goregaon to significantly boost east-west connectivity in Mumbai.

The city consistently ranks among the most congested globally, with commuters losing substantial time and the city incurring major economic losses.