BENGALURU (Metro Rail & teel): In a remarkable achievement, the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) Rudra has successfully completed its challenging journey in the Bengaluru Metro Project, marking a significant milestone in the construction of the Pink Line. After tunnelling through 718 meters for 100 days from the Lakkasandra Metro station, Rudra had its final breakthrough on Thursday at 10.45 am. This accomplishment also signifies the completion of 87% of the tunnelling work for the 13.89-kilometer underground corridor between Dairy Circle and Nagawara in the Reach-6 line.
Rudra, the TBM operated by contractor Afcons Infra, encountered an unprecedented challenge during its tunnelling efforts—a massive garbage hill with waste dating back nearly 40 years. To overcome this obstacle, the project required innovative and out-of-the-box solutions. The successful completion of Rudra’s mission marks a significant step in the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL)’s ambitious project.
With Rudra’s achievement, Afcons Infra has concluded its tunnelling responsibilities for the BMRCL, leaving only the Tunga and Bhadra TBMs left to complete the remaining 2.125 kilometers of tunnelling between Venkateshpura and Nagawara stations. These two TBMs are currently tunnelling from Venkateshpura toward K G Halli, and after reaching K G Halli, they will be pulled from the South end to the North end using jacks and other heavy equipment. Tunnelling will then commence from K G Halli to Nagawara and is expected to be completed by March 2024.
A senior Metro official confirmed that this progress represents 87% of the tunnelling work for the Metro Phase-II project, and the deadline for the launch of the Pink Line remains December 2024. The completion of this underground corridor will be a significant step in improving transportation in Bengaluru, offering residents a more efficient and convenient means of travel.
