KOLKATA (Metro Rail News): Tunneling work for the 16.6 km-long East-West Metro corridor, which hit several hurdles over the last two years, has finally been completed, said KMRC Officials.
The tunneling work gets completed by Tunnel Boring Machine [TBM ] in East-West Metro Corridor with the breakthrough of “Urvi“ at Bowbazar, Kolkata on 15th May 2021. With this breakthrough, the entire TBM tunneling for the Kolkata East-West Metro Project is completed. The stretch was difficult for tunneling work as it had century-old buildings.
According to the statement by the Ministry of Railways, this challenging tunnel drive of 800 M has been completed successfully, and according to this pandemic situation, we follow all the necessary protocol and precautions during the completion of work.
“The Tunnel Boring Machine ‘Urvi’ that had earlier completed East Bound tunnel from Esplanade to Sealdah on 9th October 2020 was relaunched from Sealdah after necessary refurbishment and inspection 9th January 2021 to complete the balance 800 M tunneling work in West Bound tunnel from Sealdah to Bowbazar. This drive of tunneling has been completed and the tunnel boring machine break through at Retrieval Shaft at Bowbazar has been achieved Saturday on 15th May 2021.
This TBM [Urvi] has passed below Sealdah Flyover also for which vehicular movement on the Fly over was closed for 3 days for safety reasons. After completing this Tunnel Boring Machine drive, the tunnel boring machine ‘Urvi’ and the other stalled TBM ‘Chandi’ will be retrieved from this retrieval shaft at Bowbazar.
Excavation of shaft after ensuring the water-tightness of the shaft and the affected tunnel and retrieval of the TBMs are intricate activities that have to be done safely and hence will take time.
After completion of the entire excavation, both the TBMs will be retrieved in pieces from the shaft. The RCC flooring and roofing for the shaft area
In my view ,the place of Kolkata from where the TBM machines will be retrieved should be converted into a station of east west metro for the benifit of people.