Agra Metro’s TBM Shivaji Records 2nd Breakthrough at Taj Mahal Ramp

Afcons Infrastructure – SAM India Consortium last Wednesday celebrated the second tunnel breakthrough by tunnel boring machine (TBM) Shivaji (S-718C) for the 29.40 km Agra Metro Phase 1 project.

This refurbished Ø6.63m diameter Herrenknecht Earth Pressure Balance machine is the third machine deployed for building twin underground tunnels on 14.25 km Line-1’s 7.93 km RBS College Ramp – Taj Mahal Ramp section (Package AGCC-02).

TBM Shivaji was commissioned in early August 2023 and first built a 228m tunnel in 54 days for the up-line between Taj Mahal Station’s launch shaft towards the cut & cover ramp on Fatehabad Road. The breakthrough event took place on October 1.

The machine was then disassembled, brought back to Taj Mahal Station and relaunched on November 2 to build the 236m down-line tunnel. The machine arrived after a journey of just 42 days.

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.

With this development, Afcons – Sam JV has now recorded 7 breakthroughs for the project’s 5.2 km Priority Corridor connecting Jama Masjid – Taj East Gate.

Just one more breakthrough is pending to complete the Priority Corridor by TBM Ganga at Taj Mahal Station. After that I estimate there will be another 10 breakthroughs pending between Jama Masjid and RBS College Ramp which links up to the elevated 3.725 km Package AGCC-05 for which bidding is underway.

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– TMRG