INDORE (Metro Rail News): Indore Metro has entered a new stage of construction with the launch of its first Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM), ‘Narmada’. The 410-tonne machine will build the underground tunnel between Airport and Bada Ganpati, marking the start of mechanised tunnelling work on the project.
The Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MPMRCL) launched the TBM from a construction shaft near Indore Airport on Thursday. The deployment marks an important step for the underground section of the Indore Metro project. Until now, the focus remained on preparing the construction infrastructure required for tunnelling.
410-tonne TBM lowered into Airport shaft
TBM ‘Narmada’ weighs around 410 metric tonnes. Engineers first assembled the massive machine at ground level before lowering it into the launch shaft near the airport. The operation required specialised lifting equipment due to the size and weight of the TBM. MPMRCL used a combination of a Megalift System and Strand Jack Assembly to lift, move and lower the machine into position. The lifting arrangement can handle loads of more than 1,000 metric tonnes and helped engineers position the TBM with controlled precision. MPMRCL Managing Director S. Krishna Chaitanya inspected the launching operation and reviewed the technical process with the project team.
TBM to construct Airport-Bada Ganpati tunnel
The machine will now undertake tunnelling work on the underground section between Airport and Bada Ganpati. TBMs allow engineers to excavate tunnels below densely developed areas with limited disruption at the surface. The method also reduces the need for large-scale open excavation. Officials carried out the launch under detailed engineering procedures and safety protocols due to the complexity of handling the heavy equipment.
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With the first TBM now positioned at the launch shaft, Indore Metro’s underground construction can move towards active tunnelling. The progress of the tunnel drive will be closely watched as the project enters one of its most technically demanding stages.
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