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.

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 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

written by

Global traveler who prefers mass rapid transit

14 Responses to "Delhi Metro Phase 3 – July 2016 Tunneling Update"

  1. Bharat says:

    Good coverage. Any update on elevated magenta line

    Reply
  2. Shikhar says:

    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.

    Reply
  3. Siddhant Kumar says:

    Is demolition of trilokpuri block 15 houses has started. If not when it will start.

    Reply
  4. Prateek says:

    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?

    Reply
  5. Pramod Kumar says:

    When we can expect real operation on both lines and on which sectt9?

    Reply
    • TMRG says:

      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.

      Reply
  6. Alok Ranjan says:

    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 ??

    Reply
  7. Deepak says:

    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

    Reply
  8. Rajesh Gupta says:

    Pls. provide latest updates on tunnels in Delhi in phase III line – Majlis Park to Shiv Vihar

    Reply

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