MEERUT (Metro Rail News): Afcons Infrastructure achieved another milestone with the second tunnel breakthrough of the tunnel boring machine S88 at the South Shaft of the Begumpul RRTS Station.
Afcons achieved its fifth tunnel breakthrough out of the six planned breakthroughs on Package 8 of the semi-high-speed rail project, with S88 marking the final breakthrough on the 5.68 km underground section.
The Terratec Earth Pressure Balance (EPB) machine, nicknamed Sudarshan 8.1, achieved its first breakthrough at Meerut Central Station in December 2022 after successfully tunnelling a distance of 1823 meters from Bhaisali Station.
Following this accomplishment, the machine was transported back to Bhaisali Station and recommissioned in February 2023 to construct an approximately 1 km long tunnel towards Begumpul Station.
Afcons Infrastructure secured the contract worth Rs. 1529.10 crores for Package 8 from the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) in November 2020, with a 1310 days (3.6 years) deadline.
The cut and cover method will be used to build three underground stations at Meerut Central, Bhaisali, and Begumpul, as well as six twin tunnels running from Brahampuri DN Ramp to Begumpul UP Ramp.
With the successful completion of S88’s tunnelling assignments, the machine becomes the fifth out of seven to accomplish its designated tasks, joining the ranks of STEC’s TBMs Sudarshan 4.1, 4.2, and 4.3 on Package 4, as well as Afcons’ 8.3 (S90).
Only one more breakthrough remains for Afcons, which will be achieved by TBM S89 (Sudarshan 8.2). The parts of S89 were lowered in March 2023 at Bhaisali, aiming to construct a parallel 1 km tunnel towards Begumpul.
