Pune: One of the tunneling machines (TBMS) digging the underground Metro corridor reaches another milestone, when it reaches the site of the Peth Budhwar Station located in Kasba Peth.
TBM began digging this stretch from the civil court station site four months ago and in its process, the lowest under the Mutha River.
Other TBM, digging a parallel tunnel, is likely to reach this site in the next few days.
Both TBMS each closed around 678 meters.
Two tunnels are being excavated – each in the upper line and down on this route.
A Mahametro official said they did not face major obstacles during excavation between the Civil and Budhwar Station.
“This is an important milestone.
Mahametro attracted all stops in an effort to introduce metro services for the early city residents.
The work on the elevated and underground part of the Metro corridor has been accelerated,” Brijesh Dixit, Mahametro Managing Director, said.
The Metro will run underground from the College of Agriculture to shift the stretch.
From 12km underground work (including the upper and lower tunnels), Mahametro said it had so far finished a 7 km job.
As many as three TBMs have been deployed for the excavation of the tunnel.
The third TBM had begun to match from Swargate to Mandai, an official said.
The official said, “We have completed tunneling work in the Shivajinagar Civil Court.
Now, excavations in the Civil Court – Budhwar Peth Stretch will be finished soon.” The official said excavation under the river was the most difficult part.
“The engine diges a 33 meter tunnel underground,” the official said.
Mahametro also accelerates the construction of five stations in the underground stretch.
“Mahametro is working on a plan to extract post-excavation TBMS.
Various choices are being explored about how the rest of the excavation work in Budhwar Peth-Swargate Stretch can be completed earliest,” officially added.