Mumbai’s Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR) project, approved by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and spanning 12.2 km in length, is a critical infrastructure development aimed at improving connectivity between Mumbai’s eastern and western suburbs. And, it is expected to trigger a spurt in prices of residential and commercial properties located in the eastern corridor of the city.
“Generally, the property prices in Mumbai’s eastern suburbs are about 20 per cent lower than the prices of properties in western suburbs,” says Navin Makhija, managing director, Wadhwa group, a major real estate company in the city. “With the upcoming GMLR project, I anticipate a price correction that will certainly bring a greater parity between the two regions, located at the opposite ends of the GMLR belt. The property rates in Goregaon today hover around Rs32,000-35,000 per sq ft, while the rates in Mulund are in the range of Rs27,000-28,000 per sq ft. With the improved connectivity between the eastern and western corridors of Mumbai, the eastern belt of Mumbai will benefit a lot, once the GMLR project gets completed. I expect property prices in the city’s eastern corridor region to appreciate significantly.” The Wadhwa group has constructed upscale skyscrapers, such as ‘Atmosphere’ and ‘O2’ near Nahur railway station on the GMLR belt.
Regulatory delays
Also, while advocating for upgrading Mumbai city’s infrastructure at a faster pace across the GMLR belt and in other suburbs through redevelopment of old and dilapidated buildings, Makhija feels that alignment among all stakeholders is critical for redeveloping old residential and commercial properties. Without it, the project is likely to face significant delays or even fail. Every stakeholder’s co-operation, from developers and landowners to financial institutions and authorities, is essential for smooth execution. “Financing in general is not a major hurdle for reputed developers, provided the acquisition cost is fair and price expectations are aligned with market realities,” he adds. “However, regulatory delays remain a major challenge. A prime example is the absence of the Coastal Regulation Zone Committee for the past six months and the Ministry of Environment & Forests Committee for nearly 10 months. The non-existence of such key regulatory bodies stalls project approvals and severely impacts timelines. This kind of uncertainty is one of the biggest obstacles to every development.” According to Makhija, affordable housing within the city of Mumbai and especially across the GMLR belt remains a distant dream, primarily due to the high cost of land and substantial government premiums. These financial constraints make it virtually impossible for developers to offer genuinely affordable housing in the city. As a result, affordable housing is only feasible in the outskirts of Mumbai – like Vasai-Virar, Dombivali and Kalyan.
GMLR project’s total cost is pegged at about Rs14,000 crore and is slated for completion by mid-2028, though the project has faced delays due to various factors, including land acquisition, environmental clearances and the need to address community concerns. Land acquisition for the project, particularly for the approach roads and associated infrastructure, has been a challenge, requiring careful planning and execution. Two six-lane flyovers will be constructed to facilitate traffic flow across GMLR. A key component is the construction of twin underground tunnels from Dadasaheb Phalke Film City to Khindipada in Mulund. Each tunnel will be 4.7 km long and will run beneath Sanjay Gandhi National Park. GMLR tunnel project’s ground-breaking (bhoomi poojan) ceremony was performed by Prime Minister
Narendra Modi on 13 July 2024. The original tunnel alignment was to pass under the park, raising concerns about potential damage to its ecosystem, wildlife habitats and vegetation.
The ongoing progress of the GMLR project is attracting citizens living in Mumbai’s western suburbs and affluent localities to micro-markets like Mulund, which traditionally attracted buyers primarily from the eastern and central suburbs. GMLR is anticipated to play a pivotal role in reshaping Mumbai’s real estate landscape, making the city more integrated and well-connected. This will be the fourth major link connecting Mumbai’s suburbs, particularly benefitting North Mumbai and will offer a direct route to Navi Mumbai’s new airport and the Pune-Mumbai expressway.