STN: The Afcons-SAM India Consortium achieved the second breakthrough of TBM Azad Transport Nagar today, advancing the Kanpur Metro’s underground package KNPCC-06. This section plays a crucial role in connecting Nayaganj Station with the Transport Nagar Ramp.
TBM Azad Transport Nagar Operations and Progress
TBM Azad, also known as S-640B, is a Herrenknecht Earth Pressure Balance machine. It is one of the key tunnel boring machines deployed for Phase 1 of the Kanpur Metro project, which involves constructing twin tunnels along the 23.78 km Line-1, running from IIT Kanpur to Naubasta.
In its first operation, which ended in March 2024, TBM Azad built a 1,250-meter tunnel from Kanpur Central Station toward Nayaganj Station. The second breakthrough, achieved today, involved the completion of a 330-meter stretch from the ramp at Swadesh Cotton Mills to Transport Nagar Station. This task began in mid-July 2024 and took around 92 days, with a brief pause to install a backup gantry system before the main tunneling resumed.
Key Route and Future Plans
The KNPCC-06 package, awarded to the Afcons-SAM India joint venture in March 2022, covers a 4.65 km underground section. This section connects the Nayaganj Station and Transport Nagar Ramp, passing through key underground stations at Kanpur Central, Jhakarkatti, and Transport Nagar. The project carries a value of ₹1,087.67 crore and has a scheduled completion window of 36 months.
On a parallel track, TBM Vidyarthi (S-639B) resumed tunneling in August 2024 along the down-line from the ramp towards Transport Nagar Station. It is expected to complete its section by November, marking another milestone for the project.
Final Steps for Tunnel Completion
Both TBMs—Azad and Vidyarthi—will move forward through Transport Nagar’s station box, continuing their excavation towards Jhakarkatti Station. From there, they will work on the last set of twin tunnels leading to Kanpur Central Station.
So far, three of the planned eight breakthroughs have been achieved. The first two were at Nayaganj Station in March and June 2024. If tunneling progresses smoothly, the final breakthrough at Kanpur Central Station could occur within the next 10 to 12 months.
Stay updated on TBM Azad Transport Nagar progress by following the Kanpur Metro developments here!
