DMRC starts first tunnelling work at Vikaspuri under Phase-IV expansion

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) started the tunnelling work on its Phase-IV Janakpuri West-RK Ashram Marg corridor on Thursday

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) started the tunnelling work on its Phase-IV Janakpuri West-RK Ashram Marg corridor on Thursday.

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Using the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM), which was lowered in October last year, the Metro will bore two parallel tunnels of 1.4km in length between Vikaspuri and Krishna Park extension on the above corridor.

The tunnel work, which started in the presence of DMRC managing director Mangu Singh, started at Vikaspuri and is expected to be completed by January-end next year.

The tunnels are part of the 2.2km-long underground section from Janakpuri West to Keshopur, Metro officials said.

Anuj Dayal, executive director, corporate communications, DMRC, said, “The tunnelling has started from the Vikaspuri area in continuation of the Magenta line tunnel that has been already constructed for the presently operational Botanical Garden-Janakpuri West corridor. The tunnel will be constructed approximately at a depth of 14 to 16 metres.”

He added, “The alignment of the tunnel runs along the Outer Ring Road and is below the multi-storied built up structures. All necessary safety precautions are being taken while constructing the tunnel below built up structures by monitoring the ground movements with highly sensitive instruments fixed on nearby structures.”

DMRC officials said that about 27km of underground section will be constructed in the corridors approved so far under Phase-IV. The Janakpuri West-RK Ashram Marg corridor will have underground sections of 7.74 kilometres in total.

In Phase 3, when about 50 kilometres of underground sections were built, about 30 TBMs were pressed into service in the national capital, Dayal said.