From Madavara To Tumakuru, Bengaluru's Namma Metro Plans 59-Km Expansion
The proposed stretch spans 59 kilometres and includes 25 elevated stations. Starting near the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre in Madavara, the line would pass through several areas in the Nelamangala district, reach Dabaspet, and then continue into both the peripheral and central regions of Tumakuru. The line is expected to terminate at Naganna Palya and will also serve the Vasantha Narasapura Industrial Area, making it a significant boost for both daily commuters and industrial workers.
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The Hindu
3 hours ago
- The Hindu
Slurry tunnel boring machines to be deployed for Bengaluru Twin Tunnel Road Project
Slurry tunnel boring machines (TBMs) will be deployed for the construction of Twin Tunnel Road between Hebbal Esteem Mall Junction and Silk Board Junction in Bengaluru. The Special Purpose Vehicle, B-SMILE, has ruled out the alternative option of using hard rock TBMs, which are generally more suitable for boulder-heavy terrains. Although this was considered, B-SMILE ultimately preferred slurry TBMs due to Bengaluru's geological composition, which is a combination of boulders and soil. B.S. Prahlad, director (Technical), B-SMILE, told The Hindu that hard rock TBMs had been used in a tunnel project in Mumbai, but issues were encountered there. 'So, we opted for slurry TBMs instead,' he said. Slurry TBMs use hydraulic methods to transport the excavated material and are best suited for mixed terrain. Namma Metro has traditionally used a combination of slurry TBMs and Earth Pressure Balance (EPB) TBMs. 'As our terrain is mixed in nature, there's a high risk of damage to the blades of Hard Rock TBMs. In contrast, slurry TBMs use bentonite, which allows the springs or blades to adjust based on the pressure exerted on the excavator, making it ideal for Bengaluru's terrain,' Mr. Prahlad explained. Bentonite, a type of clay, plays a crucial role in slurry TBM operations by helping regulate pressure. The government has finalised the use of eight TBMs for the project. These will be deployed from five to six different launching shafts to begin excavation. Mr. Prahallad mentioned that the entire project tender has been issued under the Build, Own, Operate, and Transfer (BOOT) model, which means that the winning bidders will be responsible for procuring the TBMs themselves. When asked about the technical specifications of the TBMs, Mr. Prahlad clarified that it is up to the contractors to decide whether to purchase the machines outright or assemble them locally. Historically, TBMs used in Bengaluru (by Namma Metro) have averaged a progress rate of 1.6 to 1.7 km per year. While similar efficiency is expected for this tunnel project, the deciding factor will be the nature of the terrain encountered during excavation. According to Mr. Prahallad, B-SMILE has only provided the borewell survey report along with the tender documents, in compliance with guidelines from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. Any further geological analysis is the responsibility of the contractors, given the BOOT model structure of the project. 'The tender clearly states that supporting documents, such as geotechnical data, are to be treated as references only. The contractors are required to conduct their own in-depth analyses,' Mr. Prahlad said. The Detailed Project Report had originally specified that intrusive surveys would be conducted well before the tendering process. However, with the current model, the responsibility for detailed analysis now rests with the successful bidder. B-SMILE has rolled out tenders for the 16.7 km long twin tunnel project, aimed at decongesting the city by connecting northern and southern parts. T.J. Renukaprasad, retired professor of geology, explained that the rationale behind choosing slurry TBMs could be to seal the fracture points in the terrain. 'Bengaluru has hard rock terrain, which predominantly has peninsular gneissic rock and is also intruded by many rocks like granite and dolerite. Due to geotechnical activities, there are fractures developed in the terrain; to cement those fractures, they may be using slurry TBMs,' Mr. Renukaprasad said. He explained that these rocks in the Bengaluru terrain are over 3,200 million years old, and some are 2,500 years old.
Hindustan Times
17 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Bengaluru Namma Metro's Yellow Line receives safety clearance, aiming for August 15 opening: Report
Bengaluru's much-anticipated Yellow Line for the Namma Metro has just overcome a major milestone, as the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) secured essential safety approval from the Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety (CMRS), Southern Circle. This advancement brings the city closer to debuting the 19.15-kilometre connection between RV Road in the south and Bommasandra. Bengaluru's Namma Metro Yellow Line has secured crucial safety approval, paving the way for potential passenger services starting August 15. (Sanjeev Verma/HT) READ | 'Bengaluru is India's economic engine, but...': Tejasvi Surya flags metro delays, fare hike in Lok Sabha Yashwanth Chavan, BMRCL's chief public relations officer, noted that the CMRS has granted the necessary safety certification, which is critical for launching passenger operations on this new section. Another top BMRCL official explained that the approval comes with specific stipulations. These must be addressed before commercial service can begin. The official stated that the CMRS always issues comments and suggestions during inspections, and that they must implement all these recommendations and submit a report outlining their compliance, after which they will receive the final go-ahead to start carrying passengers, The Hindu reported. The safety review, overseen by AM Chowdhary, occurred over three days from July 22 and examined every element of the line's readiness — such as the power grid, tracks, signaling, curves, emergency response, fire prevention, passenger information displays, and amenities at each station, the report said. READ | 'What is this behavior Namma Metro?': Bengaluru man triggers meme fest by bagging 'best offer', saving ₹0 The launch date for the Yellow Line remains undecided, although BMRCL aims for an August 15 opening. Both the state and central authorities have been officially informed about the safety clearance, said another official. As for the possible presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the opening event, a final decision has yet to be made, as it depends on his availability, and no confirmation has been issued so far, the report noted. When passenger services begin, operations will start small, with three driverless metro trains running every 20 minutes. Over time, BMRCL intends to ramp up the schedule to provide five-minute headways during peak hours by March 2026.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Indian Express
Bengaluru Metro: Yellow Line connecting Electronic City ready for commercial operations
The Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety (CMRS) Friday gave the safety clearance to Bengaluru Metro's 18.82-km-long Yellow Line, clearing the way for commercial operations on the stretch. This development comes nearly eight years after the civil works for the Yellow Line were awarded in 2017. The Yellow Line connects RV Road with Bommasandra via Electronic City. A Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation (BMRCL) spokesperson told The Indian Express, 'We have received the safety clearance report from CMRS with certain general observations. We will now inform both the state government and the central government, seeking permission to operationalise the line for revenue services.' The official added, 'Currently, we have three trainsets, and three coaches of the fourth train set have been dispatched from Titagarh. The remaining coaches will be dispatched for Bengaluru either today (Friday) or tomorrow and should reach the Hebbagodi depot by August second week.' The fourth train set will also have to undergo signalling and other tests for a couple of weeks before commissioning it for revenue services. BMRCL is eyeing a high-profile inauguration event in August, with officials preparing to invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi to flag off the line. A private firm has reportedly been engaged to produce a documentary film showcasing the new corridor, including drone footage of the stations and route, for the inaugural program. The event is tentatively scheduled for the first or second week of August. BMRCL has also drawn up three possible operational plans. The first involves opening the entire 16-station stretch with three trains at a frequency of 24 minutes. The second plan proposes partial operation between RV Road and Bommasandra. The third option is to run services between Bommasandra and the Central Silk Board stations. The Yellow Line has suffered significant delays, primarily due to disruptions in the supply of metro coaches. CRRC, the Chinese firm originally contracted to supply the rolling stock, failed to meet the 75 per cent local manufacturing requirement mandated by the 'Make in India' policy. The issue was exacerbated by the India-China border standoff in June 2020, complications with foreign direct investment (FDI) norms, and COVID-related disruptions. To resolve the impasse, CRRC partnered with Bengal-based Titagarh Rail Systems to manufacture and deliver the coaches domestically. However, visa delays for Chinese engineers and the late arrival of propulsion systems from Japan further slowed down testing and commissioning of the corridor.
