L&T’s Bangalore Metro TBM Vindhya Records Final Breakthrough

Larsen & Toubro’s tunnel boring machine Vindhya (DZ671) on Friday evening recorded its third & final breakthrough at Shadi Mahal TBM Retrieval Shaft on Bangalore Metro’s 21.386 km Pink Line (Reach 6).

This was L&T’s final of 6 tunnel breakthroughs planned for 73.92 km Bangalore Metro Phase 2 project’s 2.884 km underground Package RT-03 connecting Shivajinagar – Cantonment – Pottery Town – Shadi Mahal Shaft.

After its second breakthrough at Pottery Town in August 2022, this Ø6.67m diameter CRCHI slurry machine was commissioned in September 2022 to build the onward 681 m down-line tunnel towards Shadi Mahal TBM Retrieval Shaft, which is located 209m south of Tannery Road Station.

Waiting… – Photo via Nafeesa Khan Shivajinagar

L&T’s official tunneling estimate at the start of the drive was 170 days which was conquered in 175 days.

Route of Pink Line’s Package RT-03 – view Bangalore Metro Phase 2 info & route map

Here’s are a couple fun-fact laden slides with a summary of stats for RT-03 shared by Maithreyan Murali:

Here’s a roughly 3 hour video of the event where L&T’s employees were facilitated. Skip to the 1:47:20 mark to see the breakthrough.

With this development, Vindhya’s job is over! It’s become the 5th of 9 machines, after VaradaAvni, Urja & Lavi, to finish all of its tunneling assignments.

Package RT-03 has become Phase 2 project’s 2nd of 4 underground packages where tunneling has been completed. Earlier this month, the final drive for 2.755 km Package RT-02 (Shivaji Nagar – MG Road – Rashtriya Military School) was wrapped up by L&T’s TBM Lavi.

Pink Line’s twin tunnels now connect all the way from Langford Town Station (on Afcons’ package RT-01) to Venkateshpura (on ITD’s package RT-04) which is a distance of roughly 7.3 km.

A total of 19 out of 26 tunnel breakthroughs have recorded: 5/8 on Package RT-01 by Afcons, 4/4 on RT-02 by L&T, 6/6 on RT-03 by L&T, and 4/8 on RT-04 by ITD Cementation.

For more updates, check out the Bangalore section or my Home Page! Sign up for free instant email notifications on new posts over here. Like this post? Get early-access to updates and support the site over here.

– TMRG

written by

Global traveler who prefers mass rapid transit

6 Responses to "L&T’s Bangalore Metro TBM Vindhya Records Final Breakthrough"

  1. Shashi says:

    Great News
    @TMRG, Any news about Rudra and Vamika?

    Reply
    • TMRG says:

      No updates from my sources. Per BMRCL’s newsletter (data from Dec 31), Rudra had completed 402/745m from Dairy Circle to Lakkasandra. Vamika after its breakthrough at Lakkasandra in December must have been relaunched by now towards Langford Town.

      Their upcoming newsletter should give a better idea.

      Reply
  2. Sriharsha says:

    Metro must provide multi level parking at all stations with monthly pass system. This will ensure better usage and more revenue. Covered parking for cycles so that people will use the last mile travel better.

    Reply
    • S says:

      Multi level parking is not required. If they improve footpaths in a 1km radius of all stations up to TENDERSURE standards, that itself will provide excellent last mile connectivity.

      Reply
  3. Sudhakar Babu DS says:

    Can we have an status /update on the elevated pink line. Thanks

    Reply

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