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Kolkata Breaks record with longest box-pushing tunnel

Kolkata Breaks record with longest box-pushing tunnel

The 135-meter box-pushing tunnelling construction under Kolkata’s airport overpass is now underway, marking a great engineering feat for India.

The country’s longest “box-pushing” tunnelling work beneath the airport flyover has begun, marking a historic milestone for Kolkata’s metro network. The 135-meter segment, which is part of the Orange Line metro project, began on Wednesday morning and is anticipated to be completed within the next 10 months, creating an engineering marvel in the process.

The box-pushing technique, which was previously utilised for short tunnels and underpasses of up to 30 meters, has been adapted for this difficult project, with officials affirming that it would be India’s longest such tunnel building. The technology enables the construction of subterranean tunnels without interfering with surface-level traffic, which is crucial for maintaining airport access and minimising disruption to airport passengers.

Pushing reinforced concrete (RCC) box pieces through soil creates subsurface buildings. In this scenario, 14 precast boxes will be moved into place one after the other using hydraulic jacks, resulting in a tunnel that is 135 meters long, 15 meters broad, and 7.3 meters tall. The segments, each 9.7 meters long, will form a continuous structure through which metro trains can go in both directions.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) barred traditional excavations required for the cut-and-cover tunnelling method, necessitating the use of this tunnelling technique. Instead, the box-pushing method was adopted to preserve the flyover’s integrity while also ensuring uninterrupted airport access.

Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd. is in charge of the project, which is part of the larger 29-kilometre Orange Line that will connect New Garia with the city’s airport. Afcons Infrastructure has been hired to complete the tunnelling work on the underground route from City Centre II in New Town to the airport. This bundle contains the two forthcoming metro stations at Chinar Park and VIP Road, as well as the final 850 meters of the underground metro line.

When fully operating, the Orange Line is intended to considerably improve the connection between important city locations and the airport, resulting in more convenient travel experiences for both residents and visitors.

This engineering feat marks a substantial advancement in India’s metro-building capabilities and illustrates the growing sophistication of tunnel engineering technologies. As the project advances, analysts are enthusiastic about the tunnel’s impact on the city’s transport system.

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