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The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has applied for Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance for the proposed Thane Coastal Road 2 (TCR-2), a 7.13-km elevated corridor connecting Anand Nagar in Mulund East with Balkum in Thane. Estimated to cost INR 5,140.92 crore, the project is planned largely as a bridge on stilts and is expected to improve east-west connectivity, reduce congestion in Thane and integrate with several existing and proposed transport infrastructure projects.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has sought Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance from the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) for the proposed Thane Coastal Road 2 (TCR-2), a 7.13-km corridor that will connect Anand Nagar in Mulund East with Balkum in Thane. The project, estimated to cost INR 5,140.92 crore, represents the second phase of the Thane Coastal Road network and is intended to strengthen regional connectivity while easing traffic movement across Thane and adjoining areas.
According to the proposal submitted to the MCZMA, the corridor will largely be constructed as an elevated bridge on stilts. Once completed, it will connect with several ongoing and planned infrastructure projects, including the Anand Nagar–Saket elevated road and Thane Coastal Road 1, which links Balkum and Gaimukh. MMRDA expects these connections to create a more integrated transport network and reduce congestion on existing arterial roads.
The proposed alignment will pass through Mulund, Kopri, Chendeni, Kasbe, Khari, Tarf Khairane and Balkum before terminating in Thane. According to the authority, the project has been designed to improve mobility for both local and regional traffic by creating an alternative corridor that bypasses heavily congested stretches within Thane city.
However, the project also traverses environmentally sensitive areas, making regulatory approvals a critical step before construction can commence. Approximately 5.3 kilometres of the alignment falls within the Coastal Regulation Zone because of the presence of mangroves and its proximity to Thane Creek. As part of the proposal, the project will require the diversion of 12.72 hectares of mangrove land and the felling of 1,733 mangrove trees, necessitating environmental scrutiny by the concerned authorities.
The alignment additionally passes through eco-sensitive zones associated with the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary, Sanjay Gandhi National Park and the Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary. Given the ecological significance of these areas, environmental clearances have become a key prerequisite before work on the corridor can begin.
In its application to the MCZMA, MMRDA has stated that the Thane Coastal Road is required to allow both local and non-local traffic to bypass Thane city. According to the authority, the project is expected to contribute to lower road congestion, reduced travel time, fewer accidents, and improvements in air quality, noise pollution and overall transport efficiency.
The proposal has also generated discussion among residents regarding its necessity alongside other ongoing infrastructure projects. Some local stakeholders have questioned whether the under-construction Anand Nagar–Saket elevated road alone could address traffic requirements. Others believe the new coastal corridor has been planned keeping long-term traffic growth in mind and will help divert vehicles away from the Eastern Express Highway as travel demand increases.
The project is currently awaiting CRZ clearance from the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority. A decision on the environmental approval will determine the next stage of implementation for one of MMRDA's largest planned road infrastructure projects in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
Source- MMRDA
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