L&T’s Patna Metro TBM Mahavir (DZ1090) Starts Tunneling

Larsen & Toubro today commissioned DZ1090 – the 1st of four tunnel boring machines for 30.91 km Patna Metro Phase 1 project’s 8 km underground Package PC-03 connecting Rajendra Nagar – Patna Junction Railway Station.

This 6.65m diameter EPB machine, nicknamed Mahavir, by China Railway Construction Heavy Industry Co. Ltd. (CRCHI) had passed factory acceptance tests in the summer of 2022 and arrived in Patna in November 2022.

In March, its shields and cutterhead were assembled adjacent to Moin-ul-Haq Station’s site and lowered vertically into the launch shaft as one-unit by Freight Wings using a strand jack “mega lift” system.

Per the tunneling plan, TBM Mahavir and later TBM Buddha (DZ1091) will bore 1494m long twin tunnels from Moin-ul-Haq Station towards Patna University Station.

During the inauguration of tunneling works by Bihar’s Chief Minister, Patna Metro Rail Corporation’s new logo was also unveiled which to me seems very random but passable.

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) had awarded L&T with 14.05 km Line-2’s Package PC-03’s Rs. 1989 crore contract in December 2021 with a 42 month deadline.

PC-03 will connect a ramp near Rajendra Nagar with Patna Junction Railway Station through TBM bored twin tunnels and 6 underground stations at Akashvani (formerly Dak Bungalow), Gandhi Maidan, PMCH, Patna University, Moin Ul Haq Stadium and Rajendra Nagar.

As shared earlier, L&T will deploy another 2 THI machines (S71 & S72) previously used for Ahmedabad Metro Phase 1. I hear they will likely be deployed to build the tunnels between Patna Junction and PMCH. Stay tuned…

For more updates, check out the Patna section or my Home Page! Sign up for free instant email notifications on new posts over here. Like this post? Get early-access to updates and support the site over here.

– TMRG