2 Terratec TBMs Complete Factory Tests for Mumbai Metro’s Line-3

Australia-based tunnel boring machine (TBM) manufacturer Terratec today completed 2-day factory acceptance tests (FAT) for 2 refurbished TBMs at their Mundka yard in Delhi which will be used to build a section of Mumbai Metro’s 33.5 km Line-3 tunnels between Cuffe Parade and Aarey Colony.

Christened S63 and S64, these Ø6.61m Earth Pressure Balance TBMs will be deployed by the J Kumar Infraprojects – China Railway Tunnel Group JV along with 3 new dual mode rock TBMs (currently being manufactured in China) to build twin tunnels on the line’s 4.94 km package UGC-05 (Dharavi Station – CSIA T1 TBM receiving shaft) and 4.45 km package UGC-06 (CSIA T1 Station – Marol Naka TBM receiving shaft) which were awarded by the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. in July 2016.

Both TBMs were previously utilized to build tunnels on Delhi Metro’s new Pink Line (either CC-20 or CC-24) and were since put through an exhaustive refurbishment plan to make them reusable for Mumbai’s conditions. The J Kumar-CRTG JV is currently building 2 TBM launch shafts at Vidyanagari in Kalina and at Sahar Road abutting CSIA Airport (see images), and plans to begin tunneling works by the end of this year.

Line-3’s package UGC-05 (Dharavi – T1) and UGC-06 (T1 – Marol Naka) – view Mumbai Metro map & information

Some images –

TBMs S64 & S63 – Photo Copyright: Amardeep Waiker

Photo Copyright: Prahlad Shah

Photo Copyright: Prahil Magar

Terratec’s team – Photo Copyright: Prahil Magar

S63 & J Kumar-CRTG JV’s team – Photo Copyright: Javed Akhter

Herrenknecht rolled out the 1st of 17 TBMs for the entire line in June – see images here.

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

– TMRG