Afcons Infrastructure has reached a significant milestone in the ongoing Delhi Metro Phase IV project, successfully completing the longest tunneling drive between the Tughlakabad Airforce launching shaft and Maa Anandmayee Marg station on the Tughlakabad-Aerocity corridor. This achievement was celebrated with the presence of Rajiv Dhankher, Director of Projects and Planning at Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), alongside other senior officials.
The Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) AMRIT completed an impressive 2.65 km tunneling drive, passing through a challenging mix of soil and hard rock strata. This tunnel drive represents the longest tunneling segment in Phase IV of the Delhi Metro project. According to S Paramasivan, Managing Director of Afcons Infrastructure, frequent cutter replacements were required to navigate through the tough rock formations. The tunnel alignment was meticulously planned to avoid disturbing heritage structures near the Mehrauli Badarpur Road. The DC-07 package is a major component of the Aerocity-Tughlakabad corridor (Line-10) in Phase IV of Delhi Metro. It includes 11.26 km of tunneling, three underground stations, and additional sections like a 223-meter ramp and 119-meter cut-and-cover section. The three stations involved are Maa Anandmayee Marg, Tughlakabad Railway Colony, and Tughlakabad Station.
The 105-meter-long TBM was crucial in achieving this breakthrough, constructing the tunnel at an average depth of 16 meters. Approximately 1,894 rings were installed, each with an inner diameter of 5.8 meters. Additionally, two parallel tunnels are being built for up-and-down movement as part of the Aerocity–Tughlakabad corridor. The breakthrough for the second parallel tunnel is expected in January 2025, marking another significant step in the development of Delhi Metro’s Phase IV expansion.
