Mumbai Metro to achieve 8 more breakthroughs to complete 100% tunnelling

Mumbai, India (Urban Transport News): Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) on 16th October 2020  achieved the 33rd breakthrough of the 653-m long tunnel from Churchgate to Hutatma Chowk station.

To achieve this breakthrough Tunnel Boring Machine Surya-2 was operated by the project team of Larsen & Toubro – Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Company (L&T – STEC) JV at Hutatma Chowk Station. It is the first TBM breakthrough inside NATM tunnel employing Robbins-made Dual-mode hard rock Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) Surya-2 which has completed this downline stretch in 275 days using 502 rings.

Commenting on the achievement, Ranjit Singh Deol, Managing Director, MMRC said:

The presence of the iconic Flora Fountain and various heritage buildings made out the task a bit challenging. However, this unique station, in the vicinity of Hutatma Chowk, is being built by using a combination of the Cut-and-Cover and New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM). This station will provide accessibility to the business centres of South Mumbai.

According to MMRC, the overall progress of Hutatma Chowk station is 53%. Package-1, which consists of Cuffe Parade, Vidhan Bhavan, Churchgate and Hutatma Chowk stations, showcases overall 80% tunnelling progress and 68% overall station work progress.

As of date, the total tunnelling of the project completed is 88% and civil work is 60%.

Further to complete 100% tunneling work of the project, the MMRC will have to achieve a total of 8 more tunnel breakthroughs.

However, due to the shifting of the proposed Metro Carshed from Aarey Colony to Kanjurmarg, the Mumbai Metro Line-3 project will take more than 4 years to start the metro service to the public, expert says.

The 33.5 km long fully underground metro corridor (Metro 3) will connect Colaba to Seepz through 27 stations.

For more details, please explore the Mumbai Metro page of Urban Transport News.