Delhi Metro Phase 3 – June 2016 Tunneling Update

I just got back from a vacation with great food & company, so excuse my absence & the delay in publishing this month’s tunneling update! Updates will start flowing in as usual.

All the data in this post is correct as of June 1 and details from the May 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:

Blue Line – Line 3 – Dwarka – Najafgarh

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

Number of Pending TBM Breakthroughs: 2

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. Tunneling on the westbound tunnel began on November 2 2015 – see: Delhi Metro Starts Tunneling on Najafgarh Branch of the Blue Line. As of the morning of June 1, 451 rings (631 m) have been built out of 475 rings (665 m). Tunneling work slowed down last month due to unexpected mixed face geological conditions and the 1st breakthrough is now expected to take place by the end of this month or early next month. Construction on this small new section of the Blue line is progressing on schedule but is slowly showing signs of an impending delay.


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

While the DMRC has announced that it would open this line by September 2016, internally it’s aiming to open it by Independence Day (Aug 15) and had chalked out a plan to send their application for the CMRS’ inspection by June 30. Now, as per a recent report, the DMRC is aiming to start trial runs only in July, so it’s highly unlikely they’ll be able to open this section by I-day or anytime in August. Overall, this extension is delayed by more than half a year.

 

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 In Progress
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: 5 (see list)

• Since the May update, zero TBM breakthroughs have taken place.

• In June, I’m expecting 1 breakthrough at Bhikaji Cama Place which’ll complete all tunneling works on CC-18 (RKP Shaft – Lajpat Nagar). See details on that TBM:
2nd TBM Commissioned from Delhi Metro’s RK Puram Shaft

The DMRC cunningly launched “trial runs” from the Mukundpur Depot in an elaborate event held last month, 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 half a year behind schedule.

 

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: 2

• 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

• Since the May update, 3 TBM breakthroughs have taken place on this line with which all CC-23 tunnels (Hauz Khas – Kalkaji Mandir) are now physically ready. See details & images:

The contractor will now remove both TBMs, construct cross-passage tunnels and finish covering up the roof-slab at all stations included within the package.

The 3rd breakthrough of the month took place while I was away, at the Aravali midshaft (close to Vasant Vihar) by a STEC TBM launched from the Shankar Vihar station to construct the down-line tunnel. Details on that will be shared soon. 😀
June 23 Update:
See details here: 
TBM Makes 2nd Breakthrough at Delhi Metro’s Aravali Mid-Shaft

• In June, I’m expecting 1 breakthrough to take place at the RK Puram mid-shaft from a TBM commissioned from the Vasant Vihar station. Depending on the conditions, this could take place in 1st half of July as well.

With a mid-May 2016 deadline for both contractors of CC-23 and CC-27, construction of the underground component of this line is progressing half a year behind schedule and the underground section (Kalkaji – Janakpuri W) is expected to only start operations in phases from the middle of 2017.

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

For more updates on Delhi Metro’s Phase III, check out the Delhi section of The Metro Rail Guy!

– TMRG

written by

Global traveler who prefers mass rapid transit

29 Responses to "Delhi Metro Phase 3 – June 2016 Tunneling Update"

  1. LakshmanPST says:

    The DMRC statements in that TOI link you shared in the article looks funny…

    1) It says that they will start trails for Janakpuri W – IGI T1 section from July…
    My comment:- The A/G section at Sadar Bazar is far from complete… The Overhead lines were not laid till now… Even the poles were not installed for half the section… The ramp on IGI side is not complete… The station looks months away from completion… Moreover, we already saw the news about stopping operations on Runway for Metro works…

    2) It says that they will start trails for Kalkaji – Botanical Garden by July 1…
    My comment:- Botanical Garden station is far from complete… Even electric poles and Overhead lines were not installed…

    Ofcourse, I need not even have to mention about Mukundpur-Shiv Vihar Line…

    I don’t know why DMRC releases such statements…

    Reply
    • TMRG says:

      DMRC’s announcement/press release related to the trial runs were pure garbage. Local media didn’t do anything to verify actual progress. Some continue to publish news that ops will begin in December :/

      Reply
  2. Prithviraj Nag says:

    Welcome back! Hope you had a wonderful vacation! 🙂

    Reply
  3. Shikhar says:

    What is the status of tunneling works from Majlis Park to Rameshwar nagar mid shaft?

    Reply
    • TMRG says:

      I’ve been told that the 1st TBM has reached the midshaft while the 2nd has another couple weeks left. The mid-shaft isn’t ready though. Piling work is complete and excavation will now begin.

      Reply
  4. Aadisht Khanna says:

    TMRG, what exactly is the status of Hazrat Nizamuddin to Ring Road shaft tunnelling? The google maps imagery hasn’t updated in a long time, and anyway I’m not expert enough to identify completion from the sat. image.

    Reply
    • TMRG says:

      Haven’t had a chance to visit/pass by that area, but the ‘cover’ part of the cut & cover process is now complete and the road has been restored. Look for nizamuddin, delhi on https://www.terraserver.com/.

      Reply
      • harsh says:

        constructing the ring road shaft was not a big deal for them . i think the main deal is that the nizamudin station is such huge that it is taking so much time to cut and cover it. i used googls measurement feature and find out length of the the station excavation is roughly about 700m. that’s quiet a length to cover it. 🙂

        Reply
  5. Wajid says:

    Thanks for d update @TMRG

    Reply
  6. Garudha says:

    For the Najafgarh tunnelling, are you sure the meters/rings numbers are right? Google Earth shows about 650m from the ramp to the receiving shaft. And what’s happening for a depot on this little stretch – seems like another ramp leads back to the main Najafgarh depot, are they building a new small section for this line?

    Reply
    • TMRG says:

      Hi, the tunnel section is 900+m of which the TBM portion would be 665 meters. See this crude alignment which roughly shows the entire distance. You’re suspicion looks to be right! It does appear like they’re building a small ramp to the depot from the rear-end.

      Reply
  7. Rajesh Gupta says:

    Any update on CC-4 Majlish Park to Azadpur

    Reply
    • TMRG says:

      I’ve been told that the 1st TBM has reached the midshaft while the 2nd has another couple weeks left. The mid-shaft isn’t ready though. Piling work is complete and excavation will now begin.

      Reply
  8. hemant says:

    on an average how much time does it takes to launch commercial services after trial run? why is it unlikely that violet line extension to kashmere gate will open before I-day?

    Reply
    • TMRG says:

      Trial runs can take anywhere from 2-6 months during which interior finishing works are completed. After that it can take 1-3 months for the CMRS to accept the safety inspection invitation, conduct the inspection and approve the line.

      Reply
  9. kuldeep k says:

    good to see you are back,was waiting for the updates since long; ypu are right local media doesnt have any interest in metro overage;absolutely 0,
    btw do you have update on Yamuna Bridge thing were last pile work is being done

    Reply
    • TMRG says:

      Hi, the pile cap work was completed last month – see pic. Pier work has now started. I don’t have a pic for that but will share whenever possible.

      Reply
  10. Aby says:

    Nice to see you back after vacation I guess u enjoyed n r refreshed now ??

    Reply
  11. harsh says:

    Hi TMRG, whats the current status of viaduct that is to be build over anad vihar railway station connecting anand vihar metro station of phase 2 Nd phase 3. any pictures available to u of the viaduct, if its in construction.

    Thanks.

    Reply
    • TMRG says:

      Hi, the station box is ready, but the viaduct on either side is not. They’ve yet to cross over the railway lines and Chaudhary Charan Singh Marg. Not sure what the hold-up is.

      Reply
  12. Kavitha says:

    Sir,

    I want know when the metro from Janakpuri to Kalindikunj metro will be opened.Can we expect this year.

    Reply
    • TMRG says:

      Hi, it won’t open up in 2016. DMRC hasn’t revealed its game plan, but you can expect the following:
      (1) Botanical Garden – Kalkaji in Q2 2017
      (2) Kalkaji – Janakpuri in Q4 2017 or Q1 2018

      Reply

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