Afcons Relaunches Kanpur Metro’s TBM S-639B Towards Transport Nagar Station

Afcons – Sam India Consortium today commissioned tunnel boring machine (TBM) S-639B for its second drive from Transport Nagar Ramp of Kanpur Metro Phase 1 project’s Package KNPCC-06.

S-639B, nicknamed TBM Vidyarthi, is a Herrenknecht Earth Pressure Balance machine and in December 2023 became Kanpur Metro Phase 1 project’s fourth TBM to be commissioned for constructing twin tunnels on 23.78 km Line-1 between IIT Kanpur and Naubasta.

For its first tunneling assignment, it built a 1250m long underground tunnel in 6 months for the down-line from Kanpur Central Station and a recorded a breakthrough at Nayaganj Station in June 2024.

The machine was then dismantled, retrieved, and lowered into Transport Nagar Ramp, near Swadeshi Cotton Mill, which connects to KPIL’s Package KNPCC-07. From this 13m deep shaft of the ramp, it has now started its second journey to build a short 350 meter tunnel for the down-line towards Transport Nagar Station.

Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRC) had awarded Afcons – SAM India Consortium with 4.65 km KNPCC-06’s contract in March 2022 with a 36 month deadline and value of Rs. 1087.67 crore (INR 1062,02,00,000 + EURO 29,00,000).

This section connects Nayaganj Station and Transport Nagar Ramp via 3 underground stations at Kanpur Central, Jhakarkatti and Transport Nagar.

TBM Azad (S-640B) working on the parallel up-line tunnel was launched from Transport Nagar Ramp’s shaft in July, and I hear it has completed its initial drive of 95 meters. Parts of its back-up gantry are currently being lowered and attached to facilitate the main drive.

Once both machines arrive at Transport Nagar Station, they will be dragged through its station box, build tunnels to Jhakarkatti Staton, dragged through its station box, build the final set of twin tunnels and arrive at Kanpur Central Station.

Afcons – Sam India has so far recorded 2 out of 8 breakthroughs – both at Nayaganj Station in March and June 2024. Unless a major tunneling issue is encountered, at this time I reckon we’re 12-15 months away from seeing the 8th and final tunnel breakthrough being recorded at Kanpur Central.

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– TMRG