Metro tunnel from Apparel Park to Kalupur ready
TNN | Updated: Feb 26, 2019, 06:25 IST
The Metro tracks on the stretch will be operational by the end of this year.AHMEDABAD: Chanting of slogans, hugs, and waving of the tricolour marked the completion of work of two tunnel-boring machines (TBMs) on a Metro stretch. Eleven months ago, the work had begun from Apparel Park. Now, a 1.72km tunnel has been constructed for tracks for both ways of the journey. The tracks will be operational by the end of this year.
On Monday, at a ceremony held at the Kalupur metre gauge railway station, the Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation announced the completion of the tunnel. At about 4 pm, the managing director of the GMRC, I P Gautam, pressed a button which made the two TBMs emerge into view from the ground. The tunnel connects Apparel Park to Kalupur; the Kankaria East station lies on the stretch.
Gautam said that the work on the tunnel was completed in record time. He said that tenders were issued for the project on March 2017, and the first machine was lowered in April, 2018, and the second in June 2018. He said the second machine could complete the work in time as it had data collected by the first machine, which was moving 100 metres ahead. He said that since the area from Apparel Park to the Kalupur station is an unplanned zone, no historic data was available.
Gautam said that the work to install signalling systems, tracks, and power lines will take about 12 months. He said that authorities are trying to connect the Vastral APMC route with the Kalupur station as soon as possible. “That will increase the carrying capacity on the route,” he said.
On Monday, as the machines began their final push, slogans rent the air. When the TBMs finally surfaced, employees of the GMRC and contractors eargerly took photographs. Suddenly, a machine operator surfaced from the opening of the tunnel waving the tricolour.
Multimodal station: The multimodal station at the Kalupur station will be 18 metre below the surface to nearly 10 metres above the ground level. The station will connect, Metro, Bullet and the other trains. Station for the Bullet train will be nearly two storeys above the ground level. The managing director of GMRC said, “About 80% of the work for the first underground level is complete and about 60% work of the second level is over. The floor from where the Metro train will operate is 10% complete.”
Tunnel work: The 6km tunnel work from Apparel Park to Saraspur near the Riverfront will be over by April or May this year. Officials said that the work on the second stretch from Kalupur to Saraspur has already touched the Gheetkanta station and has crossed about five to six heritage monuments of the World Heritage City.
Second stretch: The second stretch to be inaugurated will be the APMC to Jivraj Park Station. The track is likely to see movement of trains before Diwali. The officials said that earlier the authorities had planned to start train movement by May-end but the work got delayed.
On Monday, at a ceremony held at the Kalupur metre gauge railway station, the Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation announced the completion of the tunnel. At about 4 pm, the managing director of the GMRC, I P Gautam, pressed a button which made the two TBMs emerge into view from the ground. The tunnel connects Apparel Park to Kalupur; the Kankaria East station lies on the stretch.
Gautam said that the work on the tunnel was completed in record time. He said that tenders were issued for the project on March 2017, and the first machine was lowered in April, 2018, and the second in June 2018. He said the second machine could complete the work in time as it had data collected by the first machine, which was moving 100 metres ahead. He said that since the area from Apparel Park to the Kalupur station is an unplanned zone, no historic data was available.
Gautam said that the work to install signalling systems, tracks, and power lines will take about 12 months. He said that authorities are trying to connect the Vastral APMC route with the Kalupur station as soon as possible. “That will increase the carrying capacity on the route,” he said.
On Monday, as the machines began their final push, slogans rent the air. When the TBMs finally surfaced, employees of the GMRC and contractors eargerly took photographs. Suddenly, a machine operator surfaced from the opening of the tunnel waving the tricolour.
Multimodal station: The multimodal station at the Kalupur station will be 18 metre below the surface to nearly 10 metres above the ground level. The station will connect, Metro, Bullet and the other trains. Station for the Bullet train will be nearly two storeys above the ground level. The managing director of GMRC said, “About 80% of the work for the first underground level is complete and about 60% work of the second level is over. The floor from where the Metro train will operate is 10% complete.”
Tunnel work: The 6km tunnel work from Apparel Park to Saraspur near the Riverfront will be over by April or May this year. Officials said that the work on the second stretch from Kalupur to Saraspur has already touched the Gheetkanta station and has crossed about five to six heritage monuments of the World Heritage City.
Second stretch: The second stretch to be inaugurated will be the APMC to Jivraj Park Station. The track is likely to see movement of trains before Diwali. The officials said that earlier the authorities had planned to start train movement by May-end but the work got delayed.
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