Ashwini Vaishnaw Launches Bullet Train Tunnel Boring Machine At Vikhroli Shaft
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw launched the first Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) for the underground section of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project at the Vikhroli shaft on Sunday, July 5. The giant machine commenced tunnelling from Vikhroli towards the Bandra-Kurla Complex.
The launch marks a major milestone for India's first high-speed rail corridor. The TBM, which has a 13.6-metre diameter and weighs over 3,000 tonnes, was assembled at the Vikhroli site after its 350-tonne cutterhead was recently lowered into the shaft.
The massive machine is scheduled to excavate nearly 6 kilometres of the 21-kilometre underground section between BKC and Thane. This section includes a 7-kilometre undersea tunnel beneath Thane Creek. Due to the exceptionally large diameter of the TBM, both the up and down bullet train tracks will be able to pass through a single tunnel, making it one of the largest rail tunnelling machines ever deployed in India.
The launch event proceeded despite the weather department issuing a yellow alert for rain in Mumbai on Sunday. According to senior project officials, the TBM is designed to operate safely through the rainy season and will continue tunnelling at its planned speed during the monsoon.
"The machine is designed to operate safely through the rainy season. Once the launch is completed, excavation will continue as per the project schedule," a senior official said.
Meanwhile, a second TBM is currently being assembled at the Ghansoli shaft. Project officials reported that this second machine is in its final stages of assembly and is expected to begin excavation by the end of July. Once both machines become operational, underground construction is expected to gather pace significantly.
The Mumbai underground stretch is considered one of the most challenging portions of the Rs 1.08 lakh crore Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project. The tunnel will pass beneath densely populated areas and the Mithi River. To ensure the safety of nearby structures, the project team is using advanced monitoring instruments, including settlement sensors, tilt meters, strain gauges, and vibration monitoring systems.
