Contractor J Kumar launched the refurbished 6.61m diameter EPBM at Chowk Bazar Station for Package UG-02 of the metro project.
Terratec is the sole TBM supplier for Phase I, providing a total of four machines.
J Kumar will use two 6.61m diameter refurbished EPBMs to build four tunnels on the 21.61km Line-1’s 7.02 km underground section connecting Chowk Bazar and Kapodra Ramp. Package UG-2 / CS-3 is a 3.56km tunnel from Surat Railway Station to Chowk Bazar Ramp and three stations – Chowk Bazar, Maskati Hospital and Surat Railway.
The EPBMs have robust mixed-face dome-style cutterheads designed to work effectively in the expected geology of sand, clay, gravel and silt. The machines will install 1,400mm-wide by 275mm-thick pre-cast concrete lining rings, which consist of five segments plus a key.
Terratec has designed the cutterhead to enable the cutting tools to be exchangeable for 43cm disc cutters, allowing the TBM to bore through the D-walls and cope with unexpected obstacles, such as old wells or foundations.
The two EPBMs were previously used for Delhi Metro’s Phase III Pink Line’s Package CC-24 from Lajpat Nagar to Hazrat Nizamuddin and were then refurbished in India.
Terratec has also supplied Gulermak-Sam India JV with a new EPBM and a refurbished TBM for Package UG-01. This contract comprises construction of six tunnels of 3.46km in total and three stations – Kapodra, Labheshwar Chowk and Central Warehouse. The refurbished TBM was previously employed on Pune Metro Phase 1.
The Surat Metro comprises two corridors of tunnels and elevated sections, with a combined length of 40.35km. Construction started in January 2021. Under Phase I of the rapid transit rail project, 20 metro stations will be built on the first corridor from Sarthana to Dream City and 18 metro stations will be built on the second corridor from Bhesan to Saroli.
Surat, in the state of Gujarat, is one of the largest urban areas in western India and one of the world’s fastest growing cities.
