Overview

• Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) 'Disha' achieved a breakthrough on April 17, 2025, completing the first 1.647 km of the 2.49 km underground section of Metro Line 7A.
• This milestone represents the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority's (MMRDA) first successful foray into underground tunneling for the city's metro network.
• The project faced complex engineering challenges, including tunneling beneath Metro Line 3, navigating utility diversions, and varying depths from 1.2 to 25 meters.
• Metro Line 7A, a 3.42 km extension of the Red Line, will link Andheri East to the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) with reduced travel times of 30–60 minutes.
• The breakthrough event was attended by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and MMRDA officials, underscoring government support for the project.