Mumbai’s ambitious Thane-Borivali twin tunnel corridor is approaching a significant milestone, with the first tunnel boring machine (TBM), christened ‘Nayak’, expected to commence excavation in September. The development marks a crucial step forward in the high-impact infrastructure project aimed at dramatically improving east-west connectivity.
Assembly of the massive TBM is currently in progress at the Thane launch site. With a diameter of 13.34 metres, the single-shield machine ranks among the largest ever deployed for an urban tunnelling initiative in India, requiring meticulous engineering precision and enhanced safety protocols.
The TBM consists of over 1,000 individual components, more than 800 of which have already been put together. The machine has been supplied by Herrenknecht AG through its Indian manufacturing unit in Chennai, while key components were sourced from its main production facility in Germany.
At present, travelling the 23-kilometre stretch between Thane and Borivali by road typically takes between 60 to 90 minutes, depending on traffic conditions. Once operational, the twin tunnel corridor is projected to slash commute time to approximately 15 minutes.
Each of the parallel tunnels will feature two traffic lanes along with an additional emergency lane. For enhanced safety, cross-passages will be constructed at intervals of 300 metres to facilitate evacuation and emergency response if required.
The second TBM designated for the project is currently en route. Following the lowering of ‘Nayak’ into the launch shaft and the start of excavation, work will begin on assembling the second machine. Due to spatial limitations and logistical costs, heavy assembly equipment cannot be deployed for both TBMs simultaneously.
The project is being executed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), with Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd appointed as the contractor.
Source: Swarajya
