TBM S717 Makes a Breakthrough at Chennai Metro’s Central Station
Another breakthrough! 😀
A couple hours ago, Tunnel Boring Machine S717 – a Herrenknecht EPB Tunnel Boring Machine operated by the Afcons-Transtonnelstroy JV for Chennai Metro’s package UAA-01 made a successful breakthrough at Central Station. The TBM was commissioned from the Egmore Station in February 2016 and traveled roughly 1 km while building 715 rings along the way for the 22 km Chennai Central – St. Thomas Mount line.
This is the 4th of 6 TBM breakthroughs scheduled to take place at Central Station’s TBM receiving shafts. The first breakthrough was achieved in July 2014, 2nd was achieved in January 2016 and the 3rd was achieved just last month in October-end.
Egmore to Central stretch – view Chennai Metro map & info
Photo Copyright: Shrinidhi Vellanki
Photo Copyright: Shrinidhi Vellanki
Photo Copyright: Mandeb Maity
Photo Copyright: Karthick
Photo Copyright: Karthick
Photo Copyright: Karthick
Photo Copyright: Shrinidhi Vellanki
Videos:
There are now 4 more TBM breakthroughs left for tunneling to end on Chennai Metro’s 45.1 km Phase 1:
| Package | TBM | Origin | Destination | Approx Pending |
| UAA-01 | S-710 | High Court | Central | 185 m |
| UAA-01 | S-718 | Egmore | Central | 135 m |
| UAA-02 | S-703 | Thousand Lights | AG-DMS | 1.67 km* |
| UAA-02 | S-704 | Thousand Lights | AG-DMS | 1.67 km* |
* Both S-703 and S-704 are currently at the Thousand Lights Station undergoing maintenance after tunneling resumed in July 2016. Excavation is still underway at the station, so the TBMs aren’t visible. A small shaft has been built to access their cutterhead.
The contractor is expecting TBM S-718 to arrive at Central Station by December and S-710 by March 2017.
For more updates, check out the Chennai section of The Metro Rail Guy!
– TMRG
Big congrats to the Afcons-TTS team!
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