Pune Metro chugs along, excavation work of 12 km underground tunnel completed

The Maha-Metro on Saturday, completed the excavation work of the 12 km underground tunnel from Swargate to Budhwarpeth

The Maha-Metro on Saturday, completed the excavation work of the 12 km underground tunnel from Swargate to Budhwarpeth. It almost took nine months to complete excavation work , which started on September 5, 2021.

Maha-Metro workers are seen celebrating the breaktrough as excavation work of the 12 km underground tunnel from Swargate to Budhwarpeth was completed on Saturday. (Rahul Raut/HT PHOTO)

On Saturday afternoon tunnel met the breakthrough point, which happens when the tunnel boring machine (TBM) finishes work and arrives at a station shaft. In the 12 km route, the tunnel has seen a total of six breakthrough points.

Shivajinagar, Civil Court, Budhwar peth, Mandai, and Swargate stations will are part of the underground stretch.

The work of underground stretch was done by the contractor Tata Gulermark. The last stage of the tunnel between Mandai and Budhwar peth was delayed due to a 400-metre hard rock.

“Due to the technical expertise and sound project management the tunnelling work has been completed without any hindrance. Since the tunnel work is completed, it has now paved way for track, signalling and traction work,” said Hemant Sonawane, Maha-Metro PRO.

The underground section comprises of two parallel tunnels. For the 12 km tunnelling work, three tunnel boring machines (TBMs) were used. These machines were named after the rivers in Pune viz. Mula, Mutha, and Pavana.

“Since the space was not available early, the work of both the stations Mandai and Budhwar peth started late, as compared to the Shivajinagar and Civil court stations. We are positive that the Budhwar peth station metro will be up and running by March 2023 which is our deadline,” said Atul Gadgil, director, Maha-Metro.

Brijesh Dixit, managing director, Maha-Metro said, “The tunnelling work of Pune metro was done with utmost precision and world-class technology. This final breakthrough marks the completion of the 12km tunnel line and it is a very proud moment for Maha-Metro. Without the active support of the citizens of Pune and administrative bodies, the work on the underground stretch of the project wouldn’t have been achieved swiftly and successfully. Maha- Metro is committed to complete the work in time.”