72% of Pink Line tunnel works completed; four out of nine tunnel boring machines done with task, says BMRCL

Tunnel works of two packages awarded to L&T from Rashtriya Military School to Tannery Road almost complete

The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL) has completed 72% of tunnel work under phase II of Namma Metro.

As part of the Kalena Agrahara to Nagawara metro line, the BMRCL is building a 13.90-km tunnel network from Dairy Circle to Nagawara (total length of twin tunnels is 21.245 km). To build the tunnel network, the BMRCL had deployed nine tunnel boring machines. A press release from the BMRCL states that out of 21.245 km of tunnelling to be done, 15.210 km (72%) has been completed.

Anjum Parwez, MD of BMRCL, said: “The tunnel works of two packages awarded to L&T from Shaadi Mahal on Tannery Road to Rashtriya Military School (Vellara Junction) are almost completed. Next month, one more tunnel boring machine deployed by the L&T will complete the task. Wherever the TBMs have completed the work, the contractor has started the first stage of concreting and followed by track-laying works. Meanwhile, the underground station is being implemented simultaneously.” The official expressed confidence that by 2024, the entire underground line works will be completed.

Sources said that tunnel work between Dairy Circle to Vellara Junction is likely to finish by year end and Tannery Road to Nagawara by early next year.

Out of the nine machines, four machines have completed the drivers. Earlier, TBMs named Urja, Varada, and Avni had completed their designated length of tunnelling. On Wednesday, another TBM Lavi completed the drive by achieving a breakthrough at Rashtriya Military School station (Vellara Junction).

This machine started its journey from Shivajinagar on March 26, 2021, and emerged at M.G. Road station on April 15, 2022, after tunnelling a distance of 1,074 meters. It further started burrowing towards Vellara Junction from May 26, 2022, and emerged successfully on Wednesday.

The release further states that TBM Vindhya, which is driving from Pottery Town station to Shaadi Mahal shaft is expected to complete the drive by the end of this month. “With this, all the four TBMs deployed by L&T complete their work and the tunnelling of two packages will be completed. With the UG station works progressing well, the BMRCL has planned to complete and commission 21.30 km of Reach-6 (Pink Line) by end of March 2025,” said the release.