Mumbai: Work to carve out Mumbai’s longest twin tunnel will take off after monsoon, as the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is in the final stages of appointing a private infrastructure company to implement the project.

Earlier this week, the development authority opened two bids it had received from Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and J. Kumar Infraprojects. After the financial packages were opened, L&T emerged as the lowest bidder with its quotation of Rs 7,765 crore as against Rs 8,589 crore of J. Kumar Infraprojects. MMRDA’s estimated cost for the project was Rs 6,327 crore, that is, Rs 1,438 crore lesser than the lowest bid.

Hereon, the MMRDA officials will put the proposal before its Executive Committee followed by the Authority chaired by Chief Minister and MMRDA Chairman Eknath Shinde. It is only after these two sanctions men and machinery will be mobilised at the construction locations.

As per the plans, the twin tunnel will be signal free to help reduce on road commute time. When ready, it will take 6-8 minutes to travel from the Coastal Road on Marine Drive to the start of the Eastern Freeway at Orange Gate and vice versa.