Kanpur Metro’s TBM Azad Records Breakthrough at Transport Nagar

Afcons – Sam India Consortium this evening celebrated Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) Azad’s second breakthrough at Transport Nagar Station on Kanpur Metro’s underground package KNPCC-06 connecting Nayaganj Station – Transport Nagar Ramp.

TBM Azad (S-640B) is a Herrenknecht Earth Pressure Balance machine and in October 2023 became Kanpur Metro Phase 1 project’s third TBM to be commissioned for constructing twin tunnels on 23.78 km Line-1 between IIT Kanpur and Naubasta.

For its first assignment in Kanpur which ended in March 2024, TBM Azad built a roughly 1250m long underground tunnel for the up-line from Kanpur Central Station towards Nayaganj Station.

For its second assignment which ended today, TBM Azad built a roughly 330m tunnel from the ramp area at Swadesh Cotton Mills to Transport Nagar Station. The machine was commissioned in mid-July and took roughly 92 days to cover its journey which included a brief week long pause to attach its back-up gantry for the main drive.

Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRC) had awarded Afcons – SAM JV 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 Vidyarthi (S-639B) working on parallel down-line was re-commissioned in August from the ramp to Transport Nagar, and unless something goes awry I expect it to arrive at the same shaft towards the end of November.

Both machines will be dragged through Transport Nagar’s station box, build tunnels to Jhakarkatti Staton, dragged through its station box, and build the final set of twin tunnels to Kanpur Central Station.

With this development, Afcons – Sam India has now recorded 3 out of 8 breakthroughs. The first two were at Nayaganj Station in March and June 2024. Unless major tunneling issues are encountered, at this time I reckon we’re 10-12 months away from seeing the 8th and final tunnel breakthrough being recorded at Kanpur Central.

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– TMRG