Factory Tests Completed on ITD’s Bangalore Metro TBMs

Tunnel boring machine (TBM) manufacturer Herrenknecht India on Friday wrapped up factory acceptance tests (FAT) on two refurbished TBMs which will be deployed to build a section of Bangalore Metro’s 21.386 km Pink Line (Reach 6).

The 3 day tests took place at Herrenknecht’s yard in Alinjiwakkam, just north of Chennai, and was attended by officials and engineers from ITD Cementation India Ltd. and Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL).

S-839B and S-840B

TBMs S-839B (nicknamed Tunga) and S-840B (presumably nicknamed Bhadra) are planned to be commissioned in Q3 2021 to build four tunnels each for the Phase 2 project’s 4.591 km underground package RT-04 (Tannery Road – North Ramp) in north Bengaluru.

ITD’s scope of work involves building a combined total of 6.34 km twin tunnels, roughly 360 meter ramp at Nagawara, and four stations at Tannery Road, Venkateshpura, Kadugundanahalli (formerly Arabic College) and Nagawara.

Alignment of ITD Cem’s Package RT-04 – view Bangalore Metro Phase 2 info & route map

The first look of these mixed shield earth pressure balance (EPB) machines was revealed earlier this month. Both are slated to arrive in the city by April when Venkateshpura Station’s TBM launch shaft gets ready.

TBM S-839B

Per the tunneling plan, both will first travel 822.99m south from Venkateshpura to Tannery Road, pass through the station box and tunnel 209.585m towards the retrieval shaft. After that, they will be brought back to Venkateshpura for tunneling 1172.16m towards Kadugundanahalli and a further 916.709m to Nagawara Station’s TBM retrieval shaft.

February 1 Update: TBM S-840B has been confirmed as Bhadra. Some images:

For more updates on India’s metro systems, check out my Home Page!

– TMRG

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Global traveler who prefers mass rapid transit

16 Responses to "Factory Tests Completed on ITD’s Bangalore Metro TBMs"

  1. Dhruv says:

    The purple part looks like dark chocolate 😋 Good luck to the team

    Reply
  2. Kushal says:

    I can confirm 2nd machine is Bhadra

    Reply
  3. Praveena says:

    Why can’t BHEL or BEML build such TBM at their factory,,

    Reply
  4. Mayur Mahajan says:

    Considering all lines of Namma Bengaluru Metro, how many TBMs will be commissioned across the city?

    Reply
  5. metro fan says:

    When will the Bangalore metro purple line extension from Mysore Road to kangeri start?

    Reply
  6. Mandar says:

    Hello,is there any plan for the metro to be extended from silk institute to art of living ashram ?

    Reply
    • TMRG says:

      Nope – none of the plans published so far have mentioned doing that.

      Phase 3 is still up in the air. Things could change by the time its DPR is finalized – maybe sometime in 2024?

      Reply
  7. Hemendra says:

    Any TBMs are manufactured in India? Exemption on Import of TBM scrapped. If domestic TBMs are not available, expect cost of construction of underground Metros to increase.

    Reply
  8. Apoorva Kumar says:

    When will metro start running on silk board electronic city route?

    Reply

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