PUNE (Metro Rail News): The PCMC to Swargate stretch of Pune Metro Rail Project has a 6km underground tunnel system starting from Shivaji Nagar to Swargate. This 6km stretch includes Shivaji Nagar, Civil Court, Budhwar Peth, Mandai, and Swargate underground metro stations.
The underground section comprises of two tunnels i.e. one for coming and the other for going. And, out of these two tunnels, Shivaji Nagar to Swargate one-side tunnelling work has been completed today. Today, on 14th January 2022, marks the completion of the one-side tunnel work. From the total 12km underground tunnel stretch, 10.8 km (90 per cent) tunnel work has been completed.
On 14th January 2022, the TBM Pavana achieved a breakthrough at Budhwar Peth. It had started digging from Swargate crossed Mandai, and completed the tunnel digging work at Budhwar Peth metro station.
The complete underground tunnel work will be completed when the 4th TBM reaches Budhwar Peth byMarch 2022.
As of date, Swargate has 45 per cent of the physical work completed followed by Mandai at 20 per cent, Budhwar Peth 40 per cent, Civil Court at 75 per cent and Shivaji Nagar at 70 per cent.
The underground stretch is a very challenging and crucial part of the Pune metro project. Since the tunnel work is nearing completion, further work in the underground section has also begun, the ‘overhead equipment (OHE)’ work has commenced. Signalling and communication-related work are also ongoing. The initial level of track work has also started.
Maha Metro Pune is striving to complete the entire underground stretch work by December 2022. “Without the active support of the citizens of Pune and the administrative bodies, the work on the underground stretch of the Pune Metro project wouldn’t have been achieved swiftly and successfully. Today TBM Pavana has achieved a breakthrough, and one side tunnelling work is completed,” said Dr Brijesh Dixit, MD Maha Metro
