STN: Kanpur Metro TBM Vidyarthi Hits Key Milestone. The Afcons-SAM India Consortium recently announced that Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) Vidyarthi has achieved its second breakthrough at Transport Nagar Station. This marks a significant development under Kanpur Metro’s underground package KNPCC-06, which connects Nayaganj Station to the Transport Nagar Ramp.
TBM Vidyarthi’s Contribution to Kanpur Metro
TBM Vidyarthi (S-639B), a Herrenknecht Earth Pressure Balance machine, is part of Kanpur Metro Phase 1. This phase involves constructing twin tunnels for Line-1, which spans 23.78 kilometers between IIT Kanpur and Naubasta.
In its initial assignment, completed by June 2024, TBM Vidyarthi built a 1,250-meter-long tunnel for the down-line connecting Kanpur Central Station to Nayaganj Station.
For its second project, TBM Vidyarthi constructed a 331-meter tunnel from the ramp near Swadesh Cotton Mills to Transport Nagar Station. Starting in mid-August, the machine completed the tunnel in 86 days. This timeline included a brief pause of 10 days to attach the backup gantry required for the drive.
Details of Package KNPCC-06
The KNPCC-06 contract, awarded in March 2022, is part of the Kanpur Metro expansion plan. The 4.65-kilometer section covers three underground stations:
- Kanpur Central
- Jhakarkatti
- Transport Nagar
This contract was assigned to Afcons-SAM JV for a total value of Rs. 1,087.67 crore. The project is expected to be completed within 36 months.
Parallel Progress by TBM Azad
On the up-line, TBM Azad (S-640B) is working alongside Vidyarthi. It reached Transport Nagar Station in October 2024. Both TBMs will now be moved through the Transport Nagar station box to begin work on tunnels leading to Jhakarkatti Station. After completing that stretch, they will proceed to construct tunnels connecting Jhakarkatti to Kanpur Central Station.
Overall Project Progress
With TBM Vidyarthi’s latest achievement, the consortium has completed four out of the eight required tunnel breakthroughs for this package. Earlier breakthroughs occurred at Nayaganj Station in March and June 2024. The project is expected to achieve its final breakthrough at Kanpur Central Station within the next nine months, provided no major challenges arise during tunneling.
Stay updated on Kanpur Metro journey and progress across the city.