Tata’s Chennai Metro TBMs S97 & S98 Pass Factory Tests

Tunnel boring machine manufacturer Terratec has completed factory acceptance tests (FAT) in China on S97 & S98 – the 2nd & 3rd of 4 new machines for Package TU01 of the 118.9 km Chennai Metro Phase 2 project.

Both Ø6.61m earth pressure balance (EPB) machines will be deployed by Tata Projects Ltd. (TPL) along with 5 other TBMs to construct approximately 9 km twin tunnels (total 18 km) on the new 45.813 km Line-3’s Venugopal Nagar – Kellys section.

Back in July TPL received their 1st machine, TBM S96, in Chennai’s Madharavam neighborhood – see details and images. Per Terratec, TBM S97 is on the way to Chennai and due to arrive soon, while TBM S98 has recently completed its FAT and been dispatched.

TPL was awarded Phase 2’s Package TU-01 Rs. 1999 crore contract by CMRL in May 2021 with a 42 month deadline.

Scope of TU01: Construction of approximately 9 km twin bored tunnels (total = 18 km) from the TBM Retrieval Shaft near Venugopal Nagar (of Line-5) to Kellys Station, and the construction of diaphragm walls, entry/exit structures of Madhavaram Milk Colony Station, Murari Hospital Station, Ayanavaram Station and Purasaiwakkam High Road Station, including launching and retrieval shafts at the above stations.

Tata’s tunneling plan with 7 TBMs remains unknown to me at this time. If someone reading this is aware, then leave a comment below or shoot me a message via the Contact page.

The 4th and final new machine in Terratec’s pipeline will likely have a serial number of S99. I hear Tata plans to refurbish and deploy Terratec TBM S81 from Pune and another 2 Herrenknecht machines from Singapore.

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– TMRG