Ahmedabad/Mumbai, April 11 (IANS) The assembly of the second Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail corridor has commenced at Savali near Ghansoli, marking a key phase in the development of the underground section of India’s first bullet train project.
The machine is being assembled approximately 39 metres below ground level at the Savali shaft, from where it will be deployed to drive tunnels towards Vikhroli as part of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train corridor.
As part of the ongoing installation process, a 190-metric-tonne gantry was lowered into position.
The structure measures 18 metres in length, 10 metres in width and 9 metres in height.
Project officials said each TBM in the corridor will be equipped with four gantries, which are connected to the main shield assembly and cutterhead.
These gantries will remain integrated with the TBM during tunnel excavation and will assist in key operations, including excavation, waterproofing, and the installation of precast tunnel lining segments.
Given the limited working space at the Savali shaft, engineers have assembled at depth using carefully sequenced lifting operations and controlled installation methods.
The initial tunnelling drive from Savali is scheduled to begin in July.
In a separate major engineering milestone reported earlier this week, a 1,360-metric-tonne precast portal beam was successfully launched over an operational railway line near Maninagar area in Ahmedabad.
The 34-metre-long structure, with a cross-section of 5.5 metres by 4.5 metres, was installed over the Ahmedabad-Vadodara section as part of the elevated viaduct works for the bullet train corridor.
The operation was completed in around 3.5 hours during full traffic and power block coordinated with Indian Railways, using a 2,200-tonne crawler crane along with auxiliary lifting systems and high-strength prestressed anchoring equipment.
The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail project spans approximately 508 kilometres between Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai and Sabarmati in Ahmedabad, with stations planned across Maharashtra and Gujarat.
The corridor is being developed by the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), and is based on Japanese Shinkansen technology.
It includes a combination of elevated viaducts, bridges and underground tunnels, intending to significantly reduce travel time between the two cities once operational.
–IANS
mys/dan
