Bhopal Metro’s 1st Tunnel Boring Machine 427 Passes Factory Tests
Tunnel boring machine (TBM) manufacturer Robbins Company this week completed factory acceptance tests (FAT) in Bengaluru on their first machine for Bhopal Metro Phase 1‘s underground package BH-04.
TBM 2116-427 or simply TBM 427 is the first of two earth pressure balance (EPB) machines that will be deployed by Kalpataru Projects International Ltd. (KPIL) – Gulermak JV to build 3 twin tunnels for the Orange Line with a 2.1 km total cumulative length.
These tunnels of 3.39 km Package BH-04 will connect a ramp south of Sindhi Colony Station with a ramp west of Aish Bagh Crossing Station via 2 underground stations at Bhopal Junction Station and Nadra Bus Stand.
TBM 427 and its sister-machine (serial number unknown to me) are refurbished machines and previously saw action in Mumbai for its 33.5 km Line-3 project as TBMs 1238 & 1239. Both machines there were deployed by Soma – Dogus JV to also build 6 tunnels for Package UGC-03 connecting Worli – Mumbai Central between August 2018 – December 2022.
Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MPMRCL) had awarded BH-04’s Rs. 769 crore contract for underground tunneling & construction work to KPIL – Gulermak JV in March 2024 2024 with a 42 month deadline.
Package BH-04 is the first and only underground package of the 27.87 km Bhopal Metro Phase 1 project. KPIL – Gulermak JV began casting tunnel rings in February this year which estimate to be northward of 3000.
Per the tunneling plan, I hear both machines will first be deployed from Bhopal Junction’s south shaft to the ramp at Aish Bagh Station. After retrieval, they’ll be relaunched from the northern launch shaft of Bhopal Junction, breakthrough at Nadra Bus Stand, dragged through its station box, and then make their final breakthroughs at the ramp located south of Sindhi Colony Station.
A list of all Bhopal Metro civil & system packages and their status can be viewed here.
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– TMRG
When Soma dogus used this machine it was slurry now Robbins has converted from slurry to epb let’s see how good they have refurbished it hope they didn’t again created a mess like delhi
Sir ,
What’s happened in Delhi.?
correct sir. I have also to much doubt about this TBM.
One to should know to operate a machine before commenting…
Don’t judge machine quality without first studying geology; selecting the right machine for the geology is the contractor’s responsibility. Neglecting this leads to equipment abuse, though even subpar machines perform well in easy soil.