Afcons-SAM’s Agra Metro TBM Yamuna Records Breakthrough at Midshaft

Afcons Infrastructure – SAM India Consortium this past weekend quitely celebrated TBM Yamuna’s breakthrough at Shahjahan Gardens Midshaft of the 29.40 km Agra Metro Phase 1 project.

This Ø6.52m diameter and 95m long Earth Pressure Balance (EPB) Robbins machine (215-323) was the project’s 1st TBM to be commissioned in February 2023 for constructing 14.25 km Line-1’s 7.93 km Package AGCC-02 between RBS College Ramp – Taj Mahal Ramp.

It first built 239 rings (334m) from the crossover at Ramleela Maidan to Agra Fort Station in 77 days and recorded a breakthrough in April. It was then dragged across Agra Fort’s station box and commissioned towards Taj Mahal Station in May for a distance of approximately 1.35 km.

The midshaft en route to Taj Mahal Station is located approximately 175 meters east of Agra Fort Station (view on Google Maps).

In Agra, TBM Yamuna along with another 2 refurbished machines – TBM Ganga and TBM Shivaji – will build roughly 3 kms of tunnels of the city’s 6 km priority corridor (Jama Masjid – Taj East Gate) with an ambitious aim to become operational by April 2024.

Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRC) had awarded Afcons – SAM Consortium with Package AGCC-02’s Rs. 1819.79 crore civil construction contract in March 2022 with a 48 month deadline.

Their section from chainage 3630.000 to 11564.485 consists of twin tunnels connecting 7 stations at Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Jama Masjid, SN Medical College, Agra College, Raja ki Mandi and RBS College.

This is the 3rd of a total of 14 breakthroughs, if my calculations are right, planned by Afcons-Sam between RBS College Ramp – Taj Mahal Ramp.

If Yamuna’s progress is anything to go by then TBM Ganga – which is building the parallel tunnel and trailing right behind – should arrive at this midshaft in August-end.

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– TMRG