Agra Metro’s TBM Shivaji Launched from Taj Mahal Station by Afcons
Afcons Infrastructure – SAM India JV on Wednesday commissioned their third tunnel boring machine (TBM) Shivaji (S-718C) at Taj Mahal Station of the 29.40 km Agra Metro Phase 1 project.
This refurbished Ø6.63m diameter Herrenknecht Earth Pressure Balance (EPB) machine has been deployed to build twin tunnels on 14.25 km Line-1’s 7.93 km RBS College Ramp – Taj Mahal Ramp section (Package AGCC-02).
More specifically, it will first build an approximately 235m tunnel for the up-line from Taj Mahal Station’s east-end at Purani Mandi Chauraha towards the ramp on Fatehabad Road connecting to Sam India’s Package AGCC-01 where trial runs are underway.
TBM S-718 had previously been deployed by Afcons – Transtonnelstroy JV between 2013-2016 to work on Chennai Metro Phase 1 project’s packages UAA-05 and UAA-01.
It was then refurbished at Herrenknecht’s plant in Tamil Nadu where it passed Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT) in April 2023. Afcons – SAM began lowering and assembling its parts at Taj Mahal Station in July.
Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRC) had awarded Afcons – SAM Consortium with this section’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.
Interestingly the TBM’s banner was replaced on launch day with a more subtle banner.
Here are some cool recent snaps of Afcons-SAM’s casting yard located along Agra’s Ring Road (view on Google Maps). In addition to Robbins TBM Yamuna and TBM Ganga, daily deliveries will now be made to feed TBM Shivaji.
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– TMRG
Hey TMRG
Not related to this but what’s the total network length of Pune metro after recent commissioning of lines? I was checking your quick snapshot page but I reckon it’s not updated.
Hi, yeah still need to update that page. Will do when I find time.
Purple Line is now 13.97 km (PCMC – Civil Court)
Aqua Line is now 9.82 km (Vanaz – Ruby Clinic)
Total = 23.79 km
Hi TMRG,
Do you know who sponsors these religious ceremonies that happen on these public projects? Even if they do not use public taxpayers money (which I suspect they do), they definitely use a public platform, and are highly communal and partisan in nature because to my knowledge they are always follow the practices of one community. This is quite embarrassing for India’s reputation as a country meant for all its people. In any other country that does not have a state religion, this will be a big scandal and some heads will roll.
Thanks.