MMRC receives 1st TBM for Colaba-Bandra-Seepz Metro

The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) has received its first tunnel boring machine (TBM) for the construction of the 33.5 km Colaba-Bandra-Seepz Metro 3 corridor.
"With the arrival of our first TBM we have kicked off our tunnelling activity, which is another most critical part of this project," MMRC Managing Director Ashwini Bhide said in a statement.
MMRC has procured the TBM, weighing around 800 tonnes, from the German firm Herrenknecht AG from its manufacturing facility in Guangzhou, China.
"In the next two years, 17 TBMs will be deployed for constructing the 33.5 km twin tunnels," she added.
This machine is one of the three TBMs that would be used to construct 6.10 km long tunnels between Dharavi and Siddhivinayak stations with Shitla Devi and Dadar stations in between in October this year. It will be lowered from a launching shaft in Naya Nagar, Mahim using cranes, it said.

"The precast segments essential for forming a concrete ring inside the tunnel are already being manufactured at six different casting yards. About 40,000 segment rings are required for the entire project which will be cast in 65 moulds imported from France and Korea," Bhide added.