KANPUR (Metro Rail News): Under the First Corridor of Kanpur Metro Rail Project (IIT-Kanpur to Naubasta), the first Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) segment was lowered on 12th June in the launching shaft constructed at Bada Chauraha. The segment was lowered after the Pooja ceremony at construction site in the presence of senior officials of UPMRC and the contracting agency. UPMRC is trying to start the construction of the tunnel till the end of this month or in the first week of the next month. The TBM selected for the tunnelling is a state-of-the-art machine designed for the geological condition of Kanpur.
The process of lowering of TBM had commenced with lowering of Middle shield weighing 120 tonne with the help of 400 tonne and 250-tonne heavy crawler cranes. This shield was placed on the cradle inside the shaft. After this Front shield, Tail shield and the Cutter head of the machine will also be lowered inside the rectangular shaft which has a length of about 21 meters, width of about 24 meters and a depth of about 17.5 meters. All these segments will be then aligned in the shaft and mechanical components and wires will be connected to complete the machine. The casting of precast concrete rings for the tunnel is going on since October 2021.
Two TBM machines will be launched from the launching shaft at Bada Chauraha, which will construct the tunnels in the direction of Nayaganj. Extensive instrumentation will be done throughout the underground stretch and continuous online and real-time monitoring will be done by a team of dedicated experts to ensure safety during TBM operation. The state of the art on board computerized tunnel guidance system will be provided in TBMs to ensure that the tunnelling is done as per the designed alignment to the highest level of accuracy. TBM shall be retrieved at Phoolbagh-Nayaganj station after building tunnel of 990m. The tunnel between Bada Churaha and Phoolbagh-Nayaganj metro stations shall be completed in approximately six months. After the retrieval, both machines will be re-launched from the shaft to be built at Chunniganj and the tunnels will be constructed through Naveen Market up to Bada Chauraha.
Congratulating the entire team of UPMRC on this occasion, Managing Director Kumar Keshav said, “Kanpur Metro Project has progressed fast towards underground construction by commencing lowering of first TBM in newly constructed shaft at Bada Chauraha Metro Station. This is a wonderful moment bringing pride to the whole team of UPMRC, General Consultants and Contractor Gulermak in executing such a difficult work in congested and busy area of Kanpur City. Soon, tunneling of Metro shall start in Kanpur.”
Presently, passenger services of Kanpur Metro are operational on the 9 KMs long Priority Section (IIT- Motijheel). Under the 23 KMs long Corridor-I (IIT-Naubasta), beyond Motijheel Metro Station; the underground stretch of the corridor is being constructed in two phases; the first one is comprising Chunniganj, Naveen Market, Bada Chauraha & Nayaganj Metro Stations; and the second one is comprising Kanpur Central, Jhakarkati, and Transport Nagar Metro Stations. After this 7KMs long underground section, around 5KMs long section between Baradevi and Naubasta will be elevated.
