First 2 Terratec TBMs for Indore Metro Pass Factory Tests

Tunnel boring machine (TBM) manufacturer Terratec in June completed factory acceptance tests (FAT) in Thailand on the first two of four TBMs for 33.53 km Indore Metro Phase 1 project‘s Yellow Line.

These Ø6.61m new Earth Pressure Balance (EPB) machines along with two refurbished machines will be deployed by Hindustan Construction Co. Ltd. – Tata Projects Ltd. (HCC – TPL JV) on 8.62 km underground Package IN-05R connecting Indore Railway Station and Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport.

This exciting development comes 14 months after Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (MPMRCL) awarded Package IN-05R’s Rs. 2190.91 crore construction contract to HCC – TPL HV in March 2025 with a 48 month deadline. Piling work to officially launch construction work for its western TBM shaft at Indore Airport started in July 2025.

HCC – TPL JV’s scope for Package IN-05R includes constructing 8 twin tunnels (total 16) and 7 underground stations located at Indore Railway Station, Rajwada, Chota Ganpati, Bada Ganpati, Ramchandra Nagar, BSF / Kalani Nagar, and Indore Airport.

Package IN-05R is the first and only underground package of the 33.53 km Indore Metro Phase 1 project. On the east-side, it will be connected to Package IN-04 (under construction by RVNL – URCC JV), and on the west-side it will be connected to Package IN-03 (built by URCC via a subcontract from RVNL).

Per the tunneling plan, the first two Terratec machines will be launched from the Airport Station shaft eastward towards BSF Kalani Nagar, while the launch and drive arrangements for the final two machines is yet to be confirmed.

Per Terratec’s press release, geologically the alignment lies within the Deccan Traps, situated across the hilly terrain of the Malwa Plateau with portions extending into formations of the Vindhyan Supergroup. The Deccan Traps are dominated by extrusive igneous rock, principally basalt, which is highly to moderately weathered in the upper horizons and improves in competence with depth.

All four Terratec machines have been configured with mixed-ground cutterheads and active earth pressure balance systems to manage these variable face conditions and maintain control beneath Indore’s dense urban corridor.

Tunneling works are planned to start towards the end of Q4. We’ll have to wait and see how things progress, but at this point I see Indore’s underground section opening up for commercial operations no sooner than mid-2029.

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– TMRG