First Look: Afcons’ 3rd TBM for Bangalore Metro’s Pink Line
After the first look of ITD Cem’s TBM Tunga yesterday, here’s the first look of Afcons Infrastructure’s third tunnel boring machine that will be deployed 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.
Unlike Afcons’ first two machines which are brand new from China, this Herrenknecht earth pressure balance (EPB) machine is a refurbished machine. It passed passed factory acceptance tests (FAT) in November at Herrenknecht’s Indian plant at Alinjiwakkam, Tamil Nadu, just 10 kms north-west of Chennai, and has since arrived in town.
Like Larsen & Toubro’s four CRCHI machines for Bengaluru and one for Mumbai’s Coastal Road project, this machine proudly sports an Indian flag-themed cutterhead with what appears to be a temporary chakra added for the photo-op.
This TBM along with the other two 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.
The machine’s serial number is unknown at this time, but the other two are confirmed to be S-1259 and S-1260. Like L&T and ITD, Afcons will likely give their 3 machines nicknames prior to commissioning them in the coming months, if not already.
Update: This TBM is S-1264. Here’s a brilliant graphic shared by Herrenknect:
Per the tunneling plan, Afcons’ 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. Here’s a snap I’ve shared previously of what’s known as ‘RMS Shaft’ getting ready for it:
Larsen & Toubro has so far commissioned three TBMs (Urja, Avni & Vindhya) while TBM Lavi is still being configured for commissioning by the end of this month towards MG Road Station where excavation is underway.
For more updates on India’s metro systems, check out my Home Page!
– TMRG
Looking good. All the best
Hi TMRG,
Are you also planning to create a separate section for the upcoming Bangalore Suburban rail project, given the similarity of its scope and standard to any other metro rail project in the country?
Would be great to follow updates on that project too.
Regards
Arshad
Absolutely. Please TMRG, it will be nice to have one section for upcoming Bangalore Suburban rail project.
I’d like to create a basic information page to start with, but I haven’t been able to get my hands on its DPR. KRIDE’s website isn’t helpful either.
On the execution side, I don’t think there will be any major civil contracts or work to track since all (?) or majority (?) of it will be built at-grade. Hoping they launch a global tender for its rolling stock, but since this involves IR – I don’t believe they will.
I am happy to see this TBM has been named as TUNGA of our Shivamogga. TUNGA river water is known to be sweetest in entire World. All the best . I am sure that TUNGA will finish its job well within its bounded time.
Name of the one shown above isn’t known 🙂
Tunga can be seen here:
https://themetrorailguy.com/2021/01/12/itds-1st-bangalore-metro-pink-line-tbm-named-tunga/
@TMRG: Can I please know your estimated completion date for metro from Biappanahalli to whitefield ?
The last time I read somewhere on TMRG it will be End of 2022. Because the KR Puram, Tin Factory, Baiyappanahalli stretch got clearance only recently.
Q4 2022 / Q1 2023 sounds about right. By then, hopefully Kadugodi Depot will also be ready to start hosting/servicing the line’s trains.
Any further delay would be ridiculous.
https://swarajyamag.com/insta/pune-metros-first-made-in-india-titagarh-rake-to-be-delivered-on-15-august-2021
Good to see them source their piece back to me 🙂
My post: https://themetrorailguy.com/2021/01/11/pune-metros-1st-titagarh-train-gets-ready/
Hi friend
Patna metro underground section bidders name you will make a post on that ??(because tomorrow is is 14th Jan)
Yes – submission date expired today so no more further extensions!