The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has proposed the construction of an elevated road on the existing Thane-Belapur road.

The plan is to construct a 918 mtr elevated road, with an additional underground tunnel 1.7 km long, to reduce the distance between Thane and Shil Phata on NH-4.

Once construction of the elevated road is completed, motorists will not have to go via Mahape in order to travel to Shil Phata from Thane. The project has been divided into two components, namely the elevated road and the underground tunnel.

The total cost of the elevated road is pegged at Rs 135 crore and that of the tunnel has been pegged at Rs 453 crore. According to the initial plan, there will be six lanes constructed between Bharat Bijlee in Thane to Siemens Factory near Airoli. From there, an underground tunnel will be constructed, which will have four lanes connecting Shil Phata. Bids have already been floated for the elevated road. Bids for the construction of the underground tunnel will be floated in another few months.