New Delhi: The construction of the Delhi Metro’s Golden Line achieved a major breakthrough on Thursday as a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) completed its 1.55-km stretch from Kishangarh to Vasant Kunj Metro station. This marks a crucial step in the development of the 19.34-km underground corridor that will link Aerocity with Tughlakabad as part of Phase 4 of the Metro expansion.
Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Tokhan Sahu were present to witness the breakthrough.
The TBM used for this section measures 91 metres in length and operated at an average depth of 23 metres, with a minimum of 15.7 metres and a maximum depth of 30.2 metres. The tunnel, which has an inner diameter of 5.8 metres, has been reinforced with 1,107 precast concrete tunnel rings. Another tunnel running parallel to this stretch is currently under construction and is expected to be completed by June 2025.
Highlighting Delhi Metro’s rapid growth, Khattar remarked, “We are on track to set a major record. New York currently holds the longest Metro network in a single city at 399 km. Delhi is just 5 km away from matching this. With the next 12-km Metro line set to open in December 2025, DMRC will soon have the largest urban Metro network in the world.” The tunnel was constructed using the Earth Pressure Balancing Method (EPBM), a technique designed to ensure safe excavation in challenging geological conditions, including hard rock and mica. The tunnel rings used in the construction were produced at a casting yard in Mundka. Since Phase 1, DMRC has widely used TBMs for tunnelling in dense urban areas. In Phase 3, 30 TBMs built 50 km of underground sections, while Phase 4 has 40.109 km approved. Anuj Dayal, DMRC’s Principal Executive Director (Corporate Communications), called this a key step in boosting connectivity and reducing traffic in South Delhi.