The Godavari Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) is now a week away from reaching the Majestic underground station and to create the link between north-south and east-west corridors.
The TBM is at work in the underground from Sampige Station and has around 25 metres left to bore before reaching Majestic, the final destination for the interchange between east-west and north-south corridors.
The TBM has been a major setback for the BMRCL’s underground plans as it had stopped functioning for several months in 2015 when its cutter-head came apart. It has been causing a delay in the overall planning and pace of the Bangalore Metro.
The BMRCL procured another cutter from Italy and a special shaft was carved out exclusively for the cutter to be lowered down and fitted onto the TBM. The cutter-head weighed about 70 tonnes.
957m remaining
The machine has to now bore a total of 957 metres, while it has done 932 metres. The remaining boring work, according to the Metro officials, will take around a week to 10 days’ time.
A long wait
This is a major relief to the BMRCL as it has been waiting for long for the TBM to reach its final destination.
With the completion of the boring work, the trials will have to begin. That will take about two months because other basic things have to be undertaken.
The right tracks will have to be laid, signalling work has to be undertaken, the third rail will have to be established - which is crucial because the power supply to the train and coaches comes from the third rail. Once these are completed, the tracks will be laid, at which point the trials can begin.
“There are a couple of things to fine tune, like the train and station timings and the tracks. Once this is done, trials can kick off. Our assessment is that the trains can start running by the end of June or mid-July,” senior Metro officials said.
Once this is ready, passengers can undertake a direct journey between Nagasandra (on Nelamangala highway, after Peenya) and Majestic on one single ticket.
As of now, the journey begins at Nagasandra and ends at Sampige Station and people bound for Majestic will have to take a bus from Sampige Station to Majestic Station.
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