Delhi Metro Phase 3 – July 2016 Tunneling Update
Here’s my Delhi Metro Phase 3 tunneling update for July 2016!
All the data in this post is correct as of July 1 and details from the June 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.
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 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. A TBM began tunneling for the westbound down-line tunnel on November 2 2015 and made a successful breakthrough a week ago on June 25. The TBM will now be refurbished and is expected to be recommissioned in October for building the parallel up-line tunnel.
This line is now officially designated as Line 9 and with an impending TBM refurbishment, its construction is now progressing a couple months behind schedule.
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
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 now delayed by 1 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: 7 (includes 4 at Rameshwar Nagar Midshaft)
• Since the May update, zero TBM breakthroughs have taken place.
• In the middle of June, excavation works commenced at the Rameshwar Nagar Midshaft from where 4 TBMs will be retrieved in the coming months. In other news, demolition of the slums at Punjabi Bagh to build the elevated section has started.
• Within the next 7 days, a final TBM breakthrough for the CC-18 package (RKP Shaft – Lajpat Nagar) will take place at the Bhikaji Came Place station. See details on that TBM here.
• On the Vinobhapuri – Ashram section, as of last night: 475/689 and 458/682 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 cunningly 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 1 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
• In June, 0 breakthroughs took place.
• In July, 1 breakthrough is expected to take place at the RK Puram mid-shaft by a TBM commissioned to build the up-line tunnel from the Vasant Vihar station. As of last night, 613/659 rings have been erected and the contractor is eyeing to make a breakthrough on July 20.
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 more than half a year behind schedule.
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
Good coverage. Any update on elevated magenta line
Trials are underway up to Okhla Vihar. They are yet to be extended further west.
Have the track circuits, signalling, OHE cable works been completed beyond Rameshwar nagar mid shaft towards Punjabi Bagh? If so, then after completion of works at Rameshwar nagar, trials could be started at this corridor.
No yet. I expect trials up to Punjabi Bagh to begin in Q2 2017.
Is demolition of trilokpuri block 15 houses has started. If not when it will start.
Yes, it has started on certain sections. Waiting for the last few residents to move out.
What about the rest updates of Green Line extension from Mundka to Bahadurgarh and the Blue Line extension from City Centre to Sector 62 Noida TMRG? Any good news? And what do you think which major lines will open this year?
Hi, no major update on the Green Line. Some new images can be seen on here on DMRC’s website. 1st segment for the Blue Line’s sector 62 extension was recently launched. Only the 5.37 km ITO-Kashmere Gate section of the Violet Line is expected to be opened this year. Opening date depends on the CMRS’ inspection and availability of ministers, so this could be pushed to Q1 2017.
Ok! Good to know all this! Please keep on updating as and when you get any info. Thanks once again! 🙂
When we can expect real operation on both lines and on which sectt9?
Hi, that’s a tough question and I really can’t guess which sections they decide to open first on the Pink Line. On the northern/western/southern end, I expect trial runs to begin in Q2 2017 with operations starting in Q3/Q4 2017. Eastern has some major civil work pending at NH24, Anand Vihar & ‘Welcome’, so maybe Q4?
For the Magenta Line, I expect trial runs up to Kalkaji to start in Q1 2017 with operations starting in Q3 2017.
Do you have any update on Shiv Vihar Metro and any good news for DLF Ankur Vihar,Sonia Vihar and Loni border connected metro line news ??
Dear Sir, When is magenta line likely to become operational. I am a resident of Munirka my question is related to this station or line getting operational. When are the trials for this entire line and operational dates. Regards
Pls. provide latest updates on tunnels in Delhi in phase III line – Majlis Park to Shiv Vihar