Delhi Metro Phase 3 – August 2016 Tunneling Update

Here’s my Delhi Metro Phase 3 tunneling update for August 2016!

All the information in this post is accurate as of August 1 and details from the July update can be viewed here. Beneath each table, I’ve included additional notes with information. In case you’re unaware of Delhi’s geography or need a map to help visualize what goes where, then you can refer to the Delhi Metro Phase 3 page & map or the DMRC’s Phase 3 map.

Photo Copyright: Anindito Mukherjee - Popular Science

A tunnel built for the Violet line in Phase 2 – Photo Copyright: Anindito Mukherjee

According to the DMRC, 48.06 km of the 190 km Phase 1 & 2 network is underground. In Phase 3, 53.835 km of the 160.574 km project is being built underground. Phase 3 includes a total of 40 sections of which 38 have/will be built using a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM). That’s a total of 76 tunneling drives. The other 2 significant sections not being constructed by a TBM are:

1) Kalkaji Mandir – Lotus (Bahá’í) Temple shaft – This section on the Magenta line has been constructed using the New Austrian Tunneling method (NATM) which has previously been used to tunnel underneath the Ridge for the Airport Express line and beneath Chawri Bazar and Saket for the Yellow line.

2) Nizamuddin Station – Ring Road shaft – This section is being constructed by the cut and cover method – see Google Earth satellite imagery.

Here’s a line wise update on different sections:

Violet Line – Line 6 – Central Secretariat – Kashmere Gate

Contract Contractor Station/Shaft Station/Shaft Status
CC-01 Pratibha-CRFG Central Sec. Shaft Janpath Operational
CC-01 Pratibha-CRFG Janpath Mandi House Operational
CC-05 L&T – SUCG Mandi House ITO Operational
CC-05 L&T – SUCG ITO Delhi Gate Complete
CC-05 L&T – SUCG Delhi Gate Jama Masjid Complete
CC-07 Era – Metrostroy Jama Masjid Lal Qila Complete
CC-07 Era – Metrostroy Lal Qila Kashmere Gate Complete

Number of Pending TBM Breakthroughs: 0

• The Central Secretariat – Mandi House section opened for commercial operations on June 26, 2014. A further extension northward to the ITO station was opened on June 8, 2015.

• The final TBM breakthrough for this line took place at the Delhi Gate station’s TBM receiving shaft in mid March: TBM Makes Final Breakthrough at Delhi Metro’s Delhi Gate Station

• TMRG reader Anuj Mittal recently snapped this image of the Kashmere Gate station’s box from the Red Line’s eastbound platform. The contractor here is yet to cover up the station’s box, waterproof it and back-fill soil back on top of it.

After many missed deadlines, the DMRC has once again revised this line’s deadline and is now targeting a November completion. This extension of the Violet Line is already delayed by 1 year.

Projected Opening: Q1-Q2 2017


Pink Line
– Line 7 – Mukundpur – Shiv Vihar

Contract Contractor Station/Shaft Station/Shaft Status
CC-04 CEC – CICI Majlis Park Shaft Azadpur In Progress
CC-04 CEC – CICI Azadpur Shalimar Bagh Complete
CC-30 HCC Shalimar Bagh Netaji Subhash Place Complete
CC-20 J Kumar – CRTG Mayapuri Shaft Naraina Vihar Complete
CC-20 J Kumar – CRTG Naraina Vihar Delhi Cantt Shaft Complete
CC-18 Pratibha – FEMC RK Puram Shaft Bhikaji Cama Place Complete
CC-18 Pratibha – FEMC Bhikaji Cama Place Sarojini Market Complete
CC-18 Pratibha – FEMC Sarojini Market INA Complete
CC-18 Pratibha – FEMC INA South Extension Complete
CC-18 Pratibha – FEMC South Extension Lajpat Nagar Complete
CC-24 J Kumar – CRTG Lajpat Nagar Vinobhapuri Complete
CC-24 J Kumar – CRTG Vinobhapuri Ashram In Progress
CC-24 J Kumar – CRTG Ashram Hazrat Nizamuddin Complete

Number of Pending TBM Breakthroughs: 6 (includes 4 at Rameshwar Nagar Midshaft)

• Since the July update, 1 TBM breakthrough took place:
TBM Makes 2nd Breakthrough at Delhi Metro’s Bhikaji Cama Place Station

• In the middle of June, excavation works commenced at the Rameshwar Nagar Midshaft (between Majlis Park – Azadpur) from where 4 TBMs will be retrieved in the coming months. As of August 1, excavation is still being performed.

• On the Vinobhapuri – Ashram section, as of last night: 508/689 and 492/682 rings have been erected. This section has been quite painful and financial draining for the contractor with frequent interventions required to change the cutterhead’s cutting discs.

The DMRC  launched “trial runs” from the Mukundpur Depot in an elaborate event held in May, but it was just for show (see details) as the CC-04 tunnels (right outside the depot) are still under construction. As things stand right now, this line’s construction (both underground & elevated) is running more than 1 year behind schedule.

Projected Opening: The line will open in stages with a final opening estimated to take place in Q2 2018.


Magenta Line
– Line 8 – Janakpuri W – Botanical Garden

Contract Contractor Station/Shaft Station/Shaft Status
CC-34 HCC – Samsung Vikaspuri Shaft Janakpuri W Complete
CC-34 HCC – Samsung Janakpuri W Dabri Mor Complete
CC-34 HCC – Samsung Dabri Mor Dashratpuri Complete
CC-34 HCC – Samsung Dashrat Puri Palam Complete
CC-32 ITD – ITD Cem Palam Saddar Bazaar W Shaft Complete
CC-32 ITD – ITD Cem Saddar Bazaar E Shaft IGI-Domestic Complete
CC-32 ITD – ITD Cem IGI-Domestic Shankar Vihar Complete
CC-27 L&T – SUCG Shankar Vihar Vasant Vihar Complete
CC-27 L&T – SUCG Vasant Vihar Munirka In Progress
CC-27 L&T – SUCG Munirka RK Puram Complete
CC-27 L&T – SUCG RK Puram IIT Complete
CC-27 L&T – SUCG IIT Hauz Khas Complete
CC-23 Pratibha – FEMC Hauz Khas Panchsheel Park Complete
CC-23 Pratibha – FEMC Panchsheel Park Chirag Delhi Complete
CC-23 Pratibha – FEMC Chirag Delhi Greater Kailash Complete
CC-23 Pratibha – FEMC Greater Kailash Nehru Enclave Complete
CC-23 Pratibha – FEMC Nehru Enclave Kalkaji Mandir Complete
CC-23 Pratibha – FEMC Kalkaji Mandir Lotus Temple Shaft Complete

Number of Pending TBM Breakthroughs: 1

• Apart from small sections at Saddar Bazaar & Shankar Vihar, the entire line is underground in south-west and south Delhi. The south-eastern section beyond Modi Mills is elevated.

• The Kalkaji Mandir – Lotus (Bahá’í) Temple shaft has been constructed using the New Austrian Tunneling method (NATM). For some cool images of it shot during construction, see: NATM Tunnel at Kalkaji in Delhi Almost Complete

• In July, 1 TBM breakthrough took place:
TBM Makes 2nd Breakthrough at Delhi Metro’s RKP Mid-Shaft

• Only 1 TBM breakthrough is now pending on the entire line. This final breakthrough will take place at the Munirka station for the down-line tunnel between Vasant Vihar & Munirka. As of July 29, 470/904 rings (658/1265m) have been built.

Overall, this line’s construction is progressing more than 1 year behind schedule.

Projected Opening: The line will open in stages with a final opening estimated to take place in Q2 2018.


Line 9 – Dwarka – Najafgarh

Contract Contractor Station/Shaft Station/Shaft Status
CC-66 HCC Sai Baba Mandir Shaft Najafgarh In Progress

Number of Pending TBM Breakthroughs: 1

This section was a late addition to Phase 3. The Letter of Acceptance to the contractor was given on 11.04.2014 with a completion deadline of 20.04.2017. The S197 TBM began tunneling for the westbound down-line tunnel on November 2 2015 and made a successful breakthrough on June 25. The TBM is currently being refurbished and will be taken back to the Sai Baba shaft from where it will commissioned once again to excavate the parallel up-line tunnel.

This line was recently officially designated as Line 9 and its construction is progressing a couple months behind schedule. As per one news source, the line will be called Grey Line. The DMRC is yet to officially confirm that.

Projected Opening: Q1-Q2 2018

If you have any questions or need specific TBM launch/breakthrough info, then please leave a comment below.

For more updates, check out the Delhi section of The Metro Rail Guy!

– TMRG

written by

Global traveler who prefers mass rapid transit

18 Responses to "Delhi Metro Phase 3 – August 2016 Tunneling Update"

  1. Rohan says:

    Just noticed this. Worlds longest metro network is 402 kms. Delhi metro will 403 once 190 kms goes livee. This cannot be a co-incidence. I am sure they are going for the record here

    Reply
    • TMRG says:

      Hi, Phase 1: 65.1 km ; Phase 2: 124.9 km and Phase 3: 160 km. That adds up to 350 km. They’re building as per the requirements of the city and not chasing records.

      Reply
  2. Aditya says:

    The world’s largest metro is in Shanghai with route length of 588 km. It is the london underground which is 402 km long and fourth largest in world. After phase 3 delhi metro will be around 350 km and it will overtake london metro only after completion of phase 4. There is no point of going after records.

    Reply
  3. Siddhant Kumar says:

    Is the work has started on redesigned pillars over nh 24 between vinod nahar and vinod nagar east metro stations.

    Reply
  4. Siddhant Kumar says:

    Pink and magenta lines will open in 2017 not 2018 because work is at a satisfactory stage where there is no hurdle. Hurdles are getting cleared.

    Reply
  5. Rahul Sharma says:

    Will the Pink and Magenta Lines open in Q2 2017 or 2018?

    Reply
  6. Shikhar says:

    Has the demolition of shelters and houses at Punjabi Bagh, Mayapuri and Trilokpuri finished?

    Reply
  7. Prateek Chakraborty says:

    Hi, TMRG! Thanks for the update. I am really unhappy and surprised both that the DMRC has not completed the entire Phase 3 works. Had they finished these works last year, zooming in and around Delhi would have been so smooth. With Phase 4 having a deadline of 2020-21, will this couple of month’s delay will hamper the preparation of the last phase’s works?

    And secondly, another issue I want to raise is about the swell of commuters using the Delhi Metro. All the six lines, including the Airport Line have seen huge crowds over the years. I always read in the paper that DMRC will order coaches for Yellow and Blue Lines. Recently, even the Violet Line, which wasn’t even mentioned earlier, now have all trains having six coaches.

    Why is that always the Green Line neglected? That is also a part of the DMRC Line. I find no mention of this Line in newspapers or anywhere. Every mornings or evenings, it is so damn crowded that people hardly find even one feet to stand in peace. They even push and jostle to get some place to stand. I have never seen any six coach train coming during the peak hours and always one or two comes in the off-peak hours, when the train is almost empty, with lots of seats vacant. Tell me, when will the DMRC end this injustice to Green Line users like me?

    And the same thing goes for the Red Line. The last two years, ever since they inducted six coaches, things have gone worse as well. Though the long platforms have provisions for eight coaches, why the DMRC has not added eight coaches? Again, it is so crowded to enter a four coach or a six coach train especially during the late morning or late evening hours. When will Mangu Singh and his men listen to us and upgrade the coaches double the time for both Green and Red Lines?

    Reply
  8. bipin says:

    Red Line Train Speed needs to be increased, as its average speed is lower than other lines.
    Also Red Line frequency needs to be increased

    Reply
  9. M.Z.Akbar says:

    What is the status of water logging in underground section on Line 7 and Line 8 both ? Is there any delay due to that ? if possible please share the status of underground track and OHE status!

    Reply
  10. Deepak says:

    TMRG, you are doing an awesome job in maintaining this website and providing all the news about Metro construction in India. Congratulations on this achievement!

    Reply
  11. Arshia says:

    When will be magenta line. I have heard initially only Botanical to Ohkla will be opened?

    Reply
  12. Rajesh Gupta says:

    As per DMRC website: Majlis park to shiv vihar-

    Length 58.596 km (39.479 km Elevated, 19.117 km Underground). Total stations 38 (Elevated 26, Underground 12). Progress of civil works upto July 2016 is 86.31%. Land at few locations is still not available. The targets will be worked out when these land pockets are available.

    Reply
  13. yb singh says:

    i want to work here
    please give me some work for station mange…

    Reply
  14. Aakash Yadav says:

    Please tell me the latest work status of Dwarka-Najafgarh (Line 9) corridor and Pink Line corridor.When these both corridors will open for public and also trial run schedule of these two lines.

    Reply

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