The first tunnel boring (TBM) machine has completed digging 680 metres tunnel for the Pune metro from the College of Agriculture to Shivajinagar, within its deadline. According to metro officials, the first TBM has already completed digging of 700 metres and has moved beyond Shivajinagar station.
A second TBM on the other hand has completed digging of 550 metres. The underground distance between Agriculture College and Swargate is five kilometres and the Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (Maha-Metro) is digging an average of 10 metres daily.
“The underground tunneling work is going as per our set plans. There have been no major issues yet,” said Hemant Sonawane, general manager, Maha-Metro.
On March 2, the Maha-Metro received an International organisation for standardisation (ISO) certificate which was issued by British Standard Institution (BSI). “This certificate certifies that work is going as per the international standards pertaining to environment, delivery in time, quality, and health,” added Sonawane.
The Gulermak-Tata joint venture project has got ISO-14001 and ISO-45001. Four certificates have been issued, two for quality management system and two for environment management system.
The certificate states, “The design and construction of underground stations Shivajinagar and civil court, including ramp, cut and cover and tunnels between Agriculture college and northern end of Budhwar peth station on the north-south corridor of the Pune metro rail project, including tunnel segment yard at Deccan College ground and the design and construction of underground stations at Budhwar peth, Mandai and Swargate and associated tunnels on the north-south corridor of Pune metro rail project, including tunnel segment casting yard at Deccan College ground is as per international standards.”