Eight TERRATEC Earth Pressure Balance TBMs have successfully completed 20 drives, totalling approximately 18km of running tunnels, on four major contracts.

Two TERRATEC Earth Pressure Balance (EPB) Tunnel Boring Machines made a historic double breakthrough on 14^th November, marking the end of tunnelling works on the 58.6km Pink Line (Line 7) on Phase III of the Delhi Metro project, in India.

Indian contractor J. Kumar Infraprojects Ltd. working with China Railway Third Group (CRTG) achieved the breakthroughs with TERRATEC’s S25 and S28 Tunnel Boring Machines on Contract CC-24 having completed the final 970m-long running tunnel drives between Vinobapuri and Ashram Stations.

The 6.61m diameter EPB shields feature state-of-the-art 900kw VFD electric driven cutterheads with a versatile configuration of cutting tools and 17” disc cutters that facilitated excavation through mixed face conditions of soil and hard rock. Both TBMs also feature active articulation and two-component grout backfilling systems.

In addition to marking the end of tunnelling works on the Pink Line (Line 7), the final S25 and S28 breakthroughs also signify the successful completion of 20 TERRATEC tunnel drives on Phase III of the Delhi Metro project.

Among its competitors, TERRATEC received the largest number of new machine orders for Phase III, with eight EPB machines working across four separate contracts on the project. In addition to supplying the machines, TERRATEC also provided comprehensive services on site to support the operation and maintenance of the equipment, assisting the contractors in their achievements. For further information please visit their website http://terratec.co/ .49/16.