Twin-tunnel breakthrough for underground Metro-3 in Mumbai, 35% work done

The MMRC has completed about 18km of tunnelling now. It expects to complete 80% of tunnelling by December 2019

In another milestone in the construction of the fully underground Metro-3 (Colaba-Bandra-Seepz) corridor, twin tunnels were completed between the Nayanagar launching shaft and proposed Dadar station on Thursday. The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) has now completed 35% of work on the corridor.

Twin tunnels were completed between Nayanagar launching shaft and the proposed Dadar station on Thursday. (HT PHOTO)

Krishna 1, which was the first tunnel boring machine (TBM) to be lowered in September 2017, completed 2,490m in 506 days. And Krishna 2, which was lowered in October 2017, completed 2,472m in 479 days. On an average, both TBMs dug 10 to 12m every day.

The MMRC has completed about 18km of tunnelling now. It expects to complete 80% of tunnelling by December 2019. The line will be partly operational from 2021. Ashwini Bhide, managing director, MMRC, said, “This is the third milestone for tunnelling in Metro-3. The credit goes to the team of engineers, supervisors, workers and other stake holders. We are steadfastly working towards realising every Mumbaiite’s dream of faster, comfortable commute at the earliest.”

In September 2018, the first tunnel between Pali ground in Marol, Andheri (East), and the international airport terminal T2 was completed and was termed a historic moment by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. The second tunnel between Sariput Nagar launching shaft and Seepz station was completed in December.