KPIL’s Kanpur Metro TBM Gomati Records Breakthrough at Kakadeo

Kalpataru Projects International Ltd. (KPIL) – Gulermak JV last week celebrated tunnel boring machine (TBM) Gomati’s second breakthrough at Kakadeo Station on Kanpur Metro’s 8.38 km Line-2 which will connect Agriculture University – Barra-8.

TBM Gomati (S-1408A) is a Ø6.6m Herrenknecht Earth Pressure Balance (EPB) machine and the fifth of seven TBMs to be deployed for constructing underground twin tunnels of the 32.385 km Kanpur Metro Phase 1 project.

It’s the first of three machines for constructing Line-2’s 4.08 km underground Package KNPCC-11 between Agriculture Depot and Double Pullia Ramp which consists of 3 underground stations at Rawatpur, Kakadeo and Double Pullia.

TBM Gomati was originally commissioned in October 2024 for its first drive and built a 622 meter tunnel in 3 months for the up-line from Rawatpur Station towards Cut & Cover – 1 section which connects with the Agriculture University Ramp.

Following that breakthrough, Gomati was brought back to Rawatpur Station and re-commissioned in March 2025 from the station’s southern-end for its second drive to build a 780m tunnel for the down-line to Kakadeo Station.

Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRC) had awarded underground Package KNPCC-11’s Rs. 762.50 crore contract to KPIL – Gulermak JV in December 2023 with a 30 month deadline.

KNPCC-11 is the third underground package of the 32.38 km Kanpur Metro Phase 1 project after Line-1’s KNPCC-05 (Chunniganj – Nayaganj) and KNPCC-06 (Nayaganj – Transport Nagar).

TBM Gomati will now be dragged through Kakadeo Station’s box and commissioned for its third assignment towards Double Pullia Station for its final 1005m drive.

KPIL – Gulermak’s third machine, TBM Parvati (S-840C), was commissioned to build the parallel up-line tunnel in March 2025 and I hear it’s expected to arrive at Kakadeo Station by September-end.

This is the 3rd of 6 breakthroughs planned for Package KNPCC-11 and the 15th for Kanpur Metro’s Phase 1 project. Here’s a list of breakthroughs on KNPCC-11 recorded so far, both taking place on the north side:

• January 2025: Rawatpur Station to Agriculture Ramp’s Cut & Cover – 1 (up-line, 622m) – by TBM Gomati (see details & pics)
• June 2025: Rawatpur Station to Agriculture Ramp’s Cut & Cover – 1 (down-line, 622m) – by TBM Saraswati (see video)

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– TMRG