Home to around 1.46 billion people, it is no surprise that India’s streets continue to get busier and busier as more vehicles hit the road. In 2023, the country overtook China as the world’s most populous country and is set to continue to grow. 

With more people comes one big problem - more traffic jams. So, in an attempt to cut congestion and improve commuter quality of life between two huge cities. The Airoli-Katai Naka Road Project is a revolutionary infrastructure project that involves the construction if not just a freeway, but also a tunnel, which will slash travel times. 

The Airoli-Katai Naka Road Project is set to improve connectivity between Airoli in Navi Mumbai and Katai Naka in Kalyan. Navi Mumbai, also called New Mumbai, is a planned city next to Mumbai, located in the Konkan division of the western Indian state of Maharashtra. It is home to over 1.6 million people. 

Kalyan, meanwhile, is a founding city of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and stands as the seventh biggest city in Maharashtra and 29th in India. Combined with its neighbouring township of Dombivli, it is home to over 1.2 million people. 

The 7.6-mile Airoli-Katai Naka Road Project starts at the Airoli end of the Mulund-Airoli Bridge, crossing Thane Belapur Road and National Highway 4 (NH-4), before linking to Kalyan-Shilpata Road at Katai Naka and joining the Katai Naka-Badlapur Road. 

The project, executed under the Extended Mumbai Urban Infrastructure Project (MUIP), is divided into three phases.

Phase One of the project involves the construction of an elevated road and a twin tunnel spanning 2.1 miles. The elevated section, approximately 0.6 miles long, features a 3x3 lane configuration and is now complete. The twin tunnel, measuring one mile, with a 4x4 lane layout, is nearly 90% finished. The revised contract cost for this phase is estimated at Rs 556 crore (approx. £50 million). 

Phase Two focuses on constructing an elevated road from the Airoli Bridge to Thane Belapur Road, featuring a 3x3 lane configuration. This section is designed to seamlessly integrate with the elevated road from Phase One. Currently, about 75% of the construction for this phase is complete. The revised contract cost for this phase is approximately Rs 395 crore (approx. £36 million).

Both these phases are anticipated to open for traffic in October this year. 

Phase Three involves constructing an elevated road from NH-4 to Katai Naka. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) will soon start work on this phase, with construction expected to take around two years. With a contract value of Rs 1981.17 crore (approx. £180 million), this phase is designed to improve connectivity and alleviate traffic congestion in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. 

Upon completion, the project will shorten the distance between Mulund and Katai Naka by up to five miles and is expected to reduce travel time by 45 minutes during peak traffic, significantly enhancing regional connectivity. It will also lower fuel consumption and alleviate congestion on major arterial routes.

“The Airoli-Katai Naka Road Project will enhance connectivity, reduce fuel consumption, and decongest key arterial roads, aligning with our vision of urban sustainability,” said MMRDA commissioner Sanjay Mukherjee.