"Mumbai's Metro 7A Project Commences Operation of Second Tunnel Boring Machine"

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has commenced work on the second Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) for Line 7A, a critical addition to the city's expanding metro network. Line 7A is designed to connect Andheri (East) to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), further extending the reach of the operational Red Line M7, which runs from Andheri (East) to Dahisar (East).

The 7A corridor primarily operates in an elevated configuration, running parallel to the Western Express Highway (WEH) and the Sahar elevated road.

An official from MMRDA announced, "The second Tunnel Boring Machine, T-60, has commenced operations on Metro Line 7A, linking Bhayander to the International Airport."

The initial drive of TBM T-60 is anticipated to conclude within a month, with the final drive expected to be completed by June 2024. The entire tunneling endeavor is scheduled for completion by 2024, with tunneling work taking place at depths ranging from 12 meters to 28 meters.

Metro 7A extends over a length of 3.42 kilometers, with 2.49 kilometers of this stretch positioned underground. The corridor features two stations, namely Airport Colony and T2 Airport.

MMRDA, having already accomplished more than 15 percent of the project, commenced tunneling activities on September 1, 2023. Prior to the tunneling phase, MMRDA had to successfully reroute an underground sewer line that was interfering with the tunnel alignment of Metro 7A. This task was accomplished through the employment of the Micro tunneling method, and the diversion was commissioned on January 30, 2023.

The new Metro 7A line will facilitate seamless connectivity to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), offering direct links to the airport, as well as the Mira Bhayandar area (Metro 9) and the Western suburbs (Metro 2A and 7). The underground station at CSMIA for Metro 7A is strategically aligned with the CSMIA underground station for Metro 3, ensuring convenient connectivity between paid-to-paid and unpaid-to-unpaid areas within the metro network.

ET