Skip to main content

Herrenknecht’s benefits from Indian orders

German company Herrenknecht says that in recent months it has received 18 orders from India for tunnel boring machines (TBMs) for projects to expand metro networks in the Indian cities of Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai and Kolkata, and for water supply schemes. Earlier this year an Indian record of 525m of drilled and secured tunnel was achieved in one month on the Veligonda water project (state of Andhra Pradesh) with a Herrenknecht Double Shield TBM (diameter 7.9m). The 18km Veligonda Tunnel is part of a sche
November 30, 2012 Read time: 2 mins

German company  Herrenknecht says that in recent months it has received 18 orders from India for tunnel boring machines (TBMs) for projects to expand metro networks in the Indian cities of Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai and Kolkata, and for water supply schemes.

Earlier this year an Indian record of 525m of drilled and secured tunnel was achieved in one month on the Veligonda water project (state of Andhra Pradesh) with a 2592 Herrenknecht Double Shield TBM (diameter 7.9m). The 18km Veligonda Tunnel is part of a scheme to pipe water from the Srisailam Dam on the River Krishna over a distance of about 100km. The tunnel, being built by the Nuziveedu Swathi Coastal Consortium, is being constructed using a Herrenknecht Double Shield TBM (Ø 7.9m).

“India is one of the world's largest economies, and there is a demand for metro systems, through which the high traffic volumes in the heavily built-up cities can be rerouted underground,” says Herrenknecht.

The EPB (earth pressure balance) shields (Ø 6.35m–6.6m) are being used to create a total of 71km of tunnels for mass transit systems.

In March 2012 the 1042 Italian-Thai Development Public Co began tunnelling with the first two of four Herrenknecht machines for the metro in Kolkata, while in Delhi two TBMs started work for Pratibha Industries. In July one of the TBMs completed its first intermediate breakthrough.

In Chennai, eight TBMs will excavate more than 38km of tunnels for new metro lines, while in Mumbai the existing water supply network is being renewed and expanded, and a total of three Herrenknecht TBMs (Ø 2.8m– 6.2m) drilled or are drilling over 16km of drinking water tunnels.

To mark the 60th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Germany and India, a Year of Germany in India is currently taking place, and during the Urban Mela series of events, Herrenknecht presented its portfolio covering all aspects of mechanised tunnelling in Chennai.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • TBM built in China for Indian project
    April 29, 2020
    A TBM built in China will be used for an Indian project.
  • Herrenknecht launches Abu Dhabi service
    February 18, 2013
    Herrenknecht says it has responded to the high demand for micro-machines and comprehensive services in the Gulf region by opening a full-service branch in Abu Dhabi. The new company, Herrenknecht Tunnelling Systems, offers top machine overhauls, field service and supply of spare parts. “The Arab market provides for enormous future potentials. This is the reason why we have now established a full-service branch for micro-machines in Abu Dhabi,” says Ulrich Schaffhauser, head of management of the business uni
  • Brisbane’s new airport link is an engineering success
    April 12, 2013
    Financial troubles for Brisbane's new Airport Link overshadow its construction success – Adrian Greeman writes. Political argument and legal dispute is likely to rage for some time yet over the bankruptcy of Australian road operator BrisConnect, which went into receivership this February with A$3 billion in debt. Toll paying users for its new Airport Link have been less than half the predicted numbers since it opened in July last summer. But if its nancial engineering is being questioned, the same is not t
  • TBM for Gotthard Tunnel drive
    August 9, 2024
    A new TBM will be used to drive the new Gotthard Tunnel tube.