Bullen train project gains momentum as first phase of 21 km long tunnel…, will pass through…
New Delhi: There is more good news about the much-awaited Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project. The ambitious mission has achieved its first important milestone as a 21-km-long tunnel between Mumbai’s Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) and Thane’s Shilphata has been constructed.
Which method has been used?
A 2.7-km-long continuous tunnel section has been successfully completed using the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM). The National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NSSRCL) has given this information. This achievement is a significant leap in India’s first bullet train project, which aims to connect Mumbai and Ahmedabad through a high-speed rail corridor.
This will significantly reduce travel time and increase transport efficiency between the two financial centers. The 21-km long tunnel will be a crucial part of the high-speed rail corridor, of which 16 km will be constructed using tunnel boring machines (TBMs) and the remaining five km using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM), including the section between Shilphata and Ghansoli.
What else does the tunnel include?
The tunnel also includes a seven-km undersea section under the Thane creek. To expedite the tunnelling work in the NATM section, an additional operated intermediate tunnel (ADIT) was constructed, enabling simultaneous excavation from both Ghansoli and Shilphata ends. Out of the total NATM section, about 1.62 km has been excavated from the Shilphata side and the total progress is 4.3 km.
What is the cost of this project?
The NHSRCL said that extensive safety measures have been implemented at the site, including installation of ground settlement markers, piezometers, inclinometers, strain gauges and biometric access control systems. These are designed to ensure safe and controlled tunnelling work without affecting nearby infrastructure or habitations.
However, sources said that TBM machines have not yet been received from the companies for the construction of the 16-km-long tunnel, while the shafts and other equipment for these machines are in place.
The total cost of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Corridor project has been estimated at Rs 1.08 lakh crore. As per the shareholding pattern, the central government will pay Rs 10,000 crore to NHSRCL, while Gujarat and Maharashtra have to pay Rs 5,000 crore each.
News