Kharghar-Turbhe Link Road Construction Begins: Travel Time To Shrink From 40 To 10 Minutes

Construction has started on the Rs 2,099-crore Kharghar-Turbhe Tunnel Link Road (KTLR), which promises to significantly cut travel time between Turbhe and Kharghar from 40 minutes to just 10 minutes, according to Hindustan Times (HT). The new link road aims to ease congestion on the busy Sion-Panvel highway and improve east-west connectivity in Navi Mumbai and the wider Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Officials have announced that the project is expected to be completed by September 2028.

Motorists travelling to Navi Mumbai via the Sion-Panvel highway will benefit from the KTLR, starting at Jui Nagar railway station. "The new road will save 30 minutes of travel time and provide excellent connectivity to the Atal Setu and the upcoming Navi Mumbai airport," said an official in the report from the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), which is overseeing the project.

The KTLR will feature a 1.8-kilometre twin tunnel passing through Kharghar hill and a 3.4-kilometre elevated viaduct. The route begins at Turbhe, follows the Sion-Panvel highway up to Jui Nagar railway station, and then runs through two unidirectional tunnels under Kharghar hill. It will end near the Central Park junction in Kharghar with a 30-metre road. Additional infrastructure includes a 1.5-kilometre elevated road connecting Central Park to Taloja's central jail and a subway linking Central Park to the proposed international corporate park.

When completed, the KTLR will improve access to key areas like Kharghar, Taloja, and their industrial zones. It will also offer direct routes for Mumbai and Thane residents to the CIDCO golf course and other attractions in Navi Mumbai.

The project was awarded to Rithwik Projects Pvt in October 2023, with the letter of award for its design, construction, and commissioning issued in February 2024.

"Work is in its early stages and is expected to finish in four years, by September 2028. All necessary regulatory protocols are being adhered to," said a CIDCO official in the HT report.