The Namma Metro Pink Line (Kalena Agrahara to Nagavara) tunnel project in Bengaluru is nearing its conclusion and is anticipated to be completed in August this year.
The tunnel was drilled in three phases; two of the phases are complete, while the third phase is now under progress, with 94 per cent of the drilling completed.
In the third phase, a 935-meter tunnel is being drilled by Tunga and Bhadra tunnel boring machines (TBMs) from KG Halli to Nagavara. On February 2, Tunga TBM began drilling southward, while on April 2, Bhadra TBM started drilling northward. It is anticipated that these TBMs will be completed by July 31 and August 31, respectively.
According to Times Now News, the first part of the tunnel project, which runs from Shadimahal to Venkateswarapuram (1066.80 m), and the second phase, which runs from Venkateswarapuram to KG Halli (1185.80 m), are both completed.
TBM Bhadra achieves breakthrough at KG Halli for Bangalore metro Pink line and completing 91% of tunneling . 22nd of the 24th planned. 2 More to go. Kudos ITD , BMRCL @cpronammametro pic.twitter.com/9KPuqoJLlX— Sunil H P (@sunilho) February 8, 2024
When tunnelling is finished, track installation and civil construction are still in progress, reports add. In addition, station building and track alignment work are still in progress. It is expected that by the end of 2025, the line will be open for commercial use.
Furthermore, a portion of the phase-II project, with 18 stations, will stretch 21.26 km from Kalena Agrahara to Nagawara. It consists of a 12-station tunnel section from Dairy Circle to Nagawara and a 7.50 km elevated line with six stops from Kalena Agrahara to Swagat Road.
There are two sections to the 21.26-km Pink Line: a 7.5-km elevated portion and a 13.76-km underground section that will connect Kalena Agrahara to Nagavara. The underground portion entails building twin tunnels spanning 20.992 km. Nearly six of the 18 stations are elevated, and the 12 underground are nearly finished, reports Deccan Herald.
To build the tunnels, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) used nine TMBs. Seven of them—Varada, Rudra, Lavi, Vindhya, Avni, and Urja—have completed their work.
On February 2, Tunga, the eighth, set off on its last drive (KG Halli-Nagawara, 935 metres). Bhadra was the machine ranked nine. Following Thursday’s success, on April 7, 2024, work will resume on the project’s last task, a 939-meter tunnel that will run north from KG Halli to Nagavara.
However, reports state that December appears more likely, even though the BMRCL stated that Tunga and Bhadra will finish their last tunnelling drives in August.
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