Final TBM Breakthrough Achieved for Delhi Metro’s Magenta Line

After tunneling works came to a close on the Pink Line earlier this month, now it’s the Magenta Line’s turn! 😀

On this past Monday evening, the CREG#7 Tunnel Boring Machine deployed by the L&T-SUCG JV for package CC-27 made a successful breakthrough at the Munirka station’s western-end to mark an end to the 38.235 km Magenta Line’s tunneling works for the Delhi Metro’s 160 km Phase 3 project.

This TBM was commissioned from the Vasant Vihar station in October 2015 to build the line’s down-line tunnel, and traveled 1265m while building 904 rings to reach the Munirka station where it was greeted by the contractor and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation’s top officials.

Note: All media outlets covering this news are incorrectly reporting that Phase 3’s tunneling works are over. The Dwarka-Najafgarh line has 1 breakthrough by TBM S197 (view info & pic) still pending at the Hanuman Mandir Shaft.

Alignment of Magenta line with station and RKP mid-shaft's location

Vasant Vihar – Munirka section’s alignment – view Delhi Metro Phase 3 map & information

The mid-shaft shown in the map above was exclusively built for the up-line tunnel where 2 breakthroughs were recorded from either ends in December 2015 by TBM THI-1 and July 2016 by TBM THI-2.

Images of the 38th and last TBM breakthrough on the entire line:

Photo Copyright: Shubham Kumar

Photo Copyright: Shubham Kumar

munirka2

Photo Copyright: Azizul Kalam

munirka3

Waiting for the TBM to show its cutterhead – Photo Copyright: Seeram Srinu

munirka1

ta-da! – Photo Copyright: Faizan Haider

munirka4

DMRC’s MD Mangu Singh – Photo Copyright: Seeram Srinu

munirka5

Photo Copyright: Seeram Srinu

munirka6

Photo Copyright: Seeram Srinu

The DMRC recently updated & announced on their website that they’re targetting to begin trial runs in April 2017. That’s only possible for the up-line as the down-line tunnel (where the breakthrough was achieved) will take more time to get ready. I always get asked about the start of commercial operations, so as far as openings go, I’m expecting the entire Magenta Line to open to users only by the fag end of 2017 or in the first half of 2018.

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

– TMRG

written by

Global traveler who prefers mass rapid transit

11 Responses to "Final TBM Breakthrough Achieved for Delhi Metro’s Magenta Line"

  1. Varun says:

    Best news to wake up to. Congrats everyone in the city.

    Reply
  2. Aditya says:

    Congrats to DMRC. And u r ryt TMRG. Hindustan times reported today that phase 3 tunneling works r over. Looks lyk no one seems to care about the najafgarh line.

    Reply
    • TMRG says:

      The media in India (especially Delhi) covering metro updates is clueless. Journalists are less investigative and more skillful in receiving & publishing content as ‘news’.

      Reply
  3. Jayanto Chatterjee says:

    The punjabi bagh station is supposed to be an interchange station between the Pink line and Green line but the stations on thsee lines are far apart..I wonder how thr interchange will happen.can you enlighten us?

    Reply
    • TMRG says:

      Hi, Punjabi Bagh like Dhaula Kuan will not be an interchange due to the distance between both stations – see the map on the last page of this document which doesn’t include interchange symbols.

      The DMRC does however plan to build a really long FOB with travelators to connect them. In order to ‘interchange’, users will have to go in and out of the paid section twice.

      Reply
  4. Shikhar says:

    As always, green line is the one which is neglected and doesn’t get any of the benefits. First no 4 to 6 coaches conversion and now this. BTW which green line station will be connected by the FOB?

    Reply
    • TMRG says:

      It’s indeed such a shame. Pink Line’s Punjabi Bagh West station will be connected to the Green Line’s Shivaji Park station.

      Reply
  5. Aditya says:

    Punjabi bagh is a residential area…do you think it would have been possible to build a special interchange station there to connect with green line. Do consider that none of the green line stations are close to the ring road which is the alingment for pink line.

    Reply
    • TMRG says:

      A new station for the Green Line on the north-west corner of the intersection can be built/retrofitted like this and then get connected to the Pink Line’s station via a FOB like the upcoming interchanges are going to be connected. Constructing its structure would of course lead to the eastbound service road being partially closed & operations to be affected on the Green Line towards the final leg of construction, but I believe we can live with that.

      DMRC has many mistakes to fix, but I don’t believe they’re ready to admit and fix them at this point. Maybe in the next 10 years?

      Reply

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