Afcons’ 1st TBM Arrives for Bangalore Metro Pink Line’s Tunneling

Afcons Infrastructure’s first of three tunnel boring machines has arrived in Bengaluru for constructing a 3.655 km underground section of Bangalore Metro’s 21.386 km Pink Line (Reach 6) which will connect Nagawara – Kalena Agrahara through 18 stations.

This earth pressure balance (EPB) machine, S-1259, was manufactured by Herrenknecht at their production facility in Guangzhou, China where it passed factory acceptance tests (FAT) in October. The TBM was then shipped to Chennai Port where it arrived in mid-December after a 15 day sea journey.

This TBM along with its two sister machines will be deployed by Afcons to build 8 tunnels on Package RT-01 (Dairy Circle Ramp – National Military School) of the 73.92 km Bangalore Metro Phase 2 project which was awarded by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL) in June 2019 with a contract value of Rs. 1526.33 crore.

RT-01: Dairy Circle Ramp – National Military School- view Bangalore Metro Phase 2 Info & Map

Per the tunneling plan, TBM#1 (S-1259) will build 3 tunnels for the north-bound tunnel from the Dairy Circle Ramp to Langford Town:

  1. Dairy Circle Ramp to Dairy Circle Station: 613.458 meters
  2. Dairy Circle Station to Lakkasandra (formerly Mico Industries): 747.338 meters
  3. Lakkasandra to Langford Town: 714.510 meters

Here are some nice images from Twitter follower @WF_Watcher (Whitefield Woes) who spotted S-1259’s parts at Dairy Circle today. More images and a video can be viewed here.

The serial numbers of the other two TBMs are unknown at this time, but they will likely be S-1260 (TBM #2) and S-1261 (TBM #3). Just prior to getting commissioned, all three will likely be given nicknames by Afcons and BMRCL for personalization and tracking purposes.

TBM#2 will follow TBM#1 from the Dairy Circle Ramp towards Langford Town to build the parallel tunnel, while TBM#3 will build both twin tunnels between a shaft adjacent to the Rashtriya Military School Station and Langford Town Station – a one-way distance of 596 meters.

2nd level struts getting placed at the Rashtriya Military School Shaft – Photo Copyright: BMRCL

With this development, 5 out of 9 tunnel boring machines for Phase 2 have arrived in town. Of those, Larsen & Toubro has commissioned three (TBMs Urja, Avni & Vindhya) while TBM Lavi is still being configured for commissioning towards MG Road Station where excavation is underway.

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

– TMRG

written by

Global traveler who prefers mass rapid transit

19 Responses to "Afcons’ 1st TBM Arrives for Bangalore Metro Pink Line’s Tunneling"

  1. GOPAL DEB BARMAN says:

    Where do u live bro? Delhi or Bengaluru

    Reply
  2. Rupraj Sengupta says:

    are by chance two of the tbms previously used in the Kolkata east west metro,they were retrieved in June 2019!

    .

    Reply
  3. ARJUN says:

    Non-Chinese goods must be purchased.

    Reply
  4. Mahesh says:

    BMRCL is too quick. TBM was assembled, they had cordoned off the area. The roads were blocked for the TBM to start work a year ago. Machine comes now!!Super synchronization

    Reply
  5. Pradeep says:

    Sir is there any upcoming plans for Metro route from Gorguntepalya to Kengeri??

    Reply
  6. Ashok says:

    Take a break!! Don’t burn yourself out.

    But if possible do a year end comprehensive review for all the cities.

    Reply
    • TMRG says:

      Thanks for looking out! 🙂 There’s a lot to write about these days and I think I’ve found a good balance. I may dial down in 2021 when regular work picks back up.

      I’ll try to whip together a quick year-end review.

      Reply
  7. Naveen V says:

    Hello! I must thank you firstly. I follow your post for developments for several years and you are fabulous with the latest updates. If a central ministry opens up for a metro cabinate none other to than you can fit in… Thank You Metro Rail Guy!!

    Reply
  8. Akhil says:

    Given the speed at which Simplex is working on rest of the stations, it might be a decade before we see these lines operational.

    Often you see a bare 5-10 people working on the entire stretch from Jayadeva to Gotigere.

    Reply
  9. Viswa says:

    @Metro Rail Guy : Any update on the inaugral date for reach 4 kanakpura road – anjanapur extension?

    Reply
    • Anonymous says:

      I think they will open it 0n 26 jan..
      As everything else is done, they could have opened it earlier but didn’t.

      Reply

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