Second tunnel boring machine commences work on metro stretch in Pune

Urban development minister Eknath Shinde inspected the ongoing work between Swargate and Shivajinagar stretch

Urban development minister Eknath Shinde inaugurated the work by the second tunnel boring machine (TBM) for the underground metro stretch between Swargate and Shivajinagar, on Sunday. The machine is named after the Mula river in the city.

Urban development minister Eknath Shinde inspecting the metro work in city on Sunday. (HT PHOTO)

The first tunnel work, which commenced on November 30, 2019, has competed 200 metres of the tunnel.

Shinde said, “The metro will help reduce traffic congestion and pollution in the city.”

The five-kilometre metro stretch between Range hills and Swargate of the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) to Swargate corridor is underground. Maha-Metro is employing the tunnel boring machine to dig two parallel tunnels between Range hills and Swargate.

Reacting to Chandrakant Patil’s comment on Shiv Sena not knowing the difference between an acre and hectare, Shinde said, “If we do not know the difference between acres and hectares, then how did the Maha Vikas Aghadi, under the leadership of Uddhav Thackeray, waive off farmers loans so soon.”