Mumbai, Apr 2 (PTI) Work on the 21-km underground tunnel of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train corridor has progressed to advanced stages, with about 5 km of the stretch excavated using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM), the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) said on Thursday.
Work has now moved to the installation of critical systems inside the tunnel, the NHSRCL said in a statement.
“The 21-km tunnel between Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) in Mumbai and Shilphata includes a 5-km NATM section between Ghansoli and Shilphata, where excavation has been completed, paving the way for subsequent construction activities,” it said.
A drainage system is being developed using specialised casting gantries to ensure safe collection and channelization of seepage water, while waterproofing membranes are being installed to prevent water ingress, the statement added.
Reinforcement bar cages are being placed along the tunnel profile to provide structural strength, followed by casting of the final concrete lining using lining gantries, it said.
Equipment rooms are also being developed within the tunnel to support operations and maintenance, the statement informed.
Overall progress on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project has gathered pace, with 343 km of viaduct and 434 km of pier work completed out of the total 508-km corridor as of March 29, officials said.
A total of 17 river bridges, five pre-stressed concrete bridges and 13 steel bridges have been completed, while over 5.6 lakh noise barriers have been installed along a 280-km stretch, they added.
In addition, around 360 track km (180 route km) of reinforced concrete track bed has been constructed, and more than 6,900 overhead equipment (OHE) masts have been installed, covering approximately 159 route km of the mainline viaduct.
Officials said breakthrough has been achieved in two out of the seven mountain tunnels in Palghar district of Maharashtra, while construction of rolling stock depots at Surat and Ahmedabad in Gujarat is underway.
The superstructure work at all stations in Gujarat is at an advanced stage, the officials said.
In Maharashtra, work has commenced on all three elevated stations, and slab casting at the Mumbai underground station is currently in progress, the statement said. PTI KK BNM
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