Soma Enterprise Limited has deployed the Terratec T87 tunnel boring machine (TBM) for a water project in Mumbai, which tunneled down 526 m deep in December 2021 without any fanfare.

The Open Rock TBM of 3.2 m diameter was recorded for the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai's (MCGMs) 9.683 km Amar Mahar-I (AM-I) project to fulfil the growing demand in eastern Mumbai.

The AM-I tunnel (AMT-I) project begins from Hedgewar Udyan, where the tunnel will be used between Mumbai-II and Mumbai-III on the Eastern Express Highway. It will run across Hedgewar Udyan to Parel through Wadala.

The AMT-1 project includes two TBM drivers of 9,683 m between Hedgewar Udyan, Pratiksha Nagar and Parel, having 80-90 m of water transfer.

The new TBM has excavated over 1 km in three months, with remaining progress of over 300 m per month.

The company is a leading TBM supplier with more than 40 TBMs ranging between 1.4 m to 10 m excavation. The machine can be used in other projects, including hydro, sewage, and mining projects. It has deployed leading contractors, including Larsen and Toubro (L&T), Hindustan Construction Company (HCC), Afcons, etc.

The Greater Mumbai civic body has executed this project for checking the water sources, improving the water distribution system and managing water demand and supply.

One of the most challenging parts of AMT-I was to assemble the TBM at 110 m depth inside the Amar Mahal site's tail tunnel.

It is expected that the first project groundbreaking at Pratiksha Nagar Shaft will take place in the first quarter (Q1) of FY23.

The metro rail and road tunnelling projects get more visibility, but the TBM project might bring more visibility in tunnel projects.

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