Goregaon Mulund Link Road 2026: Tunnel Status and Price Impact

The Goregaon Mulund Link Road is the second big east-west road project now tunnelling under Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), and in October 2026 it finally has a machine in the ground. BMC’s first tunnel boring machine, named Tulsi, started digging from the Film City end on 17 August 2026. By 19 October it had excavated about 183 metres, at an average of 5.5 metres a day. A second machine is due to start before the end of October.

For homebuyers in Mumbai’s western and eastern suburbs, this matters because the GMLR links two job and housing belts that today are separated by a forest and a slow drive. Goregaon East, with its offices, malls and Film City, sits on one side. Mulund, Bhandup, Kanjurmarg and Powai sit on the other. When the road opens, a trip that can take well over an hour at peak should come down to about 25 minutes, according to BMC’s stated target.

We at Godrej Properties MMR have pulled together the latest progress reports, the parts of the project that are still behind schedule, and current asking prices in the five localities most likely to feel the effect. We also compare it with the other SGNP tunnel, the Thane-Borivali twin tunnel, because buyers often confuse the two.

The GMLR is a 12.2 km, six-lane road between the Western Express Highway at Goregaon and the Eastern Express Highway at Mulund. BMC is building it in phases, and the phases are at very different stages. The road widening and junction work at both ends was meant to finish years ago. The tunnel phase, which is the slowest and most expensive part, only started boring in 2026.

The tunnel contract went to a joint venture of NCC and J Kumar Infraprojects, which beat Afcons and Larsen and Toubro with a bid of about Rs 6,301 crore and a 60-month build period. Two large TERRATEC machines were assembled at the Goregaon launch shaft. The first major component was lowered into place on 11 March 2026, assembly finished in July, and boring began in August after safety approvals.

The GMLR has a long history of revised dates. The tender deadline was pushed back four times before the tunnel contract was awarded. The Goregaon-side flyover missed its May 2026 opening. The TBM launch, planned for March 2026, happened in August. BMC’s current position is completion by 2028, while some reports already point to February 2029.

The arithmetic explains the caution. At 5.5 metres a day, one machine would need about 850 working days to cover 4.7 km. That puts breakthrough in early 2029 unless the daily rate rises once the crew is past the initial learning curve, which is common on large TBM drives. The second machine, reportedly named Vihar, should start by the end of October 2026. After breakthrough, the tunnels still need lining, ventilation, fire systems and road surfacing, which usually takes another 9 to 12 months.

Our working assumption is that the full Goregaon Mulund Link Road opens to traffic in 2029, not 2028. Buyers should base decisions on today’s commute, with the GMLR as a later bonus.

Watch for three signals over the next year:

• Daily boring rate: a sustained rate above 8 metres a day would make a 2028 breakthrough realistic
• Second TBM launch: if Vihar starts by November 2026, the two drives can run in parallel
• Mulund-side road work: the tunnels are only useful if the Amar Nagar exit links cleanly to the Eastern Express Highway
• Film City flyover opening: the first visible part of the project for commuters
• Rehabilitation: BMC said it would hand over 252 flats in Kanjurmarg East to project-affected families by March 2026, which clears land on the alignment

Prices along the corridor are already high, because both ends are mature suburbs. The GMLR’s effect will be to narrow the gap between them, rather than to transform a cheap area. Mulund and Bhandup, which trade at a discount to Goregaon East and Powai, are the most likely to benefit when the commute to the western suburbs falls.

These are asking-price averages from listing portals and developer research, not registered transaction prices. Individual buildings vary a lot, and new launches with large amenities usually price above these figures. The Mulund numbers come from an August 2026 Piramal Realty analysis, which also notes that the link road is expected to lift values gradually over several years rather than immediately.

For Powai and Chandivali specifically, our Chandivali Powai property prices guide breaks rates down by project and configuration.

Both projects tunnel under SGNP and both are due around 2028, which is why they are often mixed up. They serve different trips. The GMLR links Goregaon to Mulund within Mumbai city limits and is run by BMC. The Thane-Borivali tunnel links Borivali East (Magathane) to Manpada on Ghodbunder Road in Thane and is run by MMRDA.

The Thane-Borivali project is further ahead. Its first machine, Nayak, started in April 2026, the second, Arjuna, in August 2026, and MMRDA reported 13.73% physical progress up to August. The official target is May 2028. Our Thane Borivali tunnel status tracker follows each MMRDA update.

For a buyer, the two roads together matter more than either alone. Once both open, the western suburbs will have two fast crossings to the eastern side and Thane, instead of relying on the Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road and Ghodbunder Road. That should spread demand more evenly across Kandivali, Goregaon, Mulund, Powai and Thane.

If the GMLR is part of your reason for choosing a home, check these points first:

1. Find the exact exit. On the Mulund side, the tunnel exits at Amar Nagar in Mulund West. A flat 3 km away may see less benefit than you expect.
2. Price in today’s commute. Assume no GMLR until 2029, and make sure you can live with the current travel time until then.
3. Check construction impact. Homes next to the Film City launch shaft or the Mulund approach roads will face several years of dust, noise and traffic diversions.
4. Compare against the Metro. Metro Line 4 (Wadala to Thane) and the planned Metro 6 (Swami Samarth Nagar to Vikhroli) may deliver a bigger commute gain sooner in some localities.
5. Confirm the developer’s possession date on MahaRERA. The road date and your possession date are separate risks.
6. Avoid paying a premium for the road alone. If a launch price is well above nearby ready homes only because of the GMLR, negotiate or wait.

Godrej Properties Limited has two established projects close to the GMLR’s eastern half. Godrej Urban Park in Chandivali sits near the Powai end of the Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road, and its RERA possession date was 30 September 2026. Residents already reach Goregaon East through JVLR, and the GMLR would add a second route to the western suburbs once it opens. Our Godrej Urban Park Chandivali-Powai reviews cover the handover and the project’s strengths and weak spots.

Godrej The Trees in Vikhroli East is a completed project, and residents have lived there for several years. It sits between the Eastern Express Highway and the Kanjurmarg-Vikhroli belt, so the GMLR’s Mulund exit is a short drive north. Read The Trees Godrej Properties Mumbai reviews for how it has held value since handover.

Our view is simple. Neither project needs the GMLR to make sense today, which is what we prefer. The road is a long-term upside, not the main reason to buy.

Q: When will the Goregaon Mulund Link Road be completed?

BMC’s official target is 2028. Some reports already cite February 2029. The twin tunnels only started boring on 17 August 2026, and the first machine was averaging about 5.5 metres a day in October, so a 2029 opening is the safer assumption for planning a purchase.

Q: How long is the GMLR tunnel?

The road is 12.2 km in total. The twin tunnels under Sanjay Gandhi National Park are about 4.7 km each in most reports, with BMC citing 5.3 km between Film City and Amar Nagar in Mulund West when approaches are included. There is also a 1.22 km box tunnel at Film City.

Q: How much will the GMLR cut travel time?

BMC’s target is about 25 minutes between Goregaon and Mulund. Today the same trip uses the Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road or the Western and Eastern Express Highways, and can take well over an hour at peak. Some reports put the worst-case current trip at up to 2 hours.

Q: Who is building the GMLR twin tunnels?

A joint venture of NCC and J Kumar Infraprojects won the Phase 3B tunnel contract with a bid of about Rs 6,301 crore and a 60-month timeline. Afcons and Larsen and Toubro were the other bidders. The whole project, including roads and flyovers, is estimated at about Rs 14,000 crore.

Q: Which areas will gain most from the GMLR?

Mulund West and Bhandup are likely to gain most in relative terms, because they trade at Rs 29,000 to 30,000 per sq ft against Rs 35,000 or more in Goregaon East and will get a much faster route west. Goregaon East and Powai gain better access to eastern-suburb and Thane jobs.

Q: Is the GMLR the same as the Thane-Borivali tunnel?

No. Both run under Sanjay Gandhi National Park, but the GMLR links Goregaon and Mulund and is built by BMC. The Thane-Borivali tunnel links Borivali East and Manpada in Thane and is built by MMRDA, with a May 2028 target.

The Goregaon Mulund Link Road is finally moving, with one machine boring and a second about to start. The road will help Mulund, Bhandup and Kanjurmarg most and give Goregaon and Powai a faster route across the park. Plan around a 2029 opening, buy for today’s commute, and treat the GMLR as long-term upside rather than a reason to pay more now.

If you are weighing a home in the eastern suburbs, see current availability at Godrej Urban Park Chandivali or browse every project on Godrej Properties MMR. Our team can arrange a site visit and share our latest price notes.