Tunnel Win! MRVC Completes Panvel-Karjat Rail Line's Longest Passage

The Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC) celebrated a significant achievement on Friday with the successful breakthrough of the longest tunnel on the under-construction Panvel-Karjat suburban railway line. The 2,265-meter-long Wavarle tunnel, whose excavation began on February 22 last year, was completed in the afternoon in the presence of MRVC CMD Subhash Chand Gupta and other senior personnel. Chief public relations officer Sunil Udasi highlighted this as a major milestone in the Panvel-Karjat railway project, which aims to improve connectivity and transportation efficiency in the Mumbai suburban region.

The Panvel-Karjat line is part of the Mumbai Urban Transport Project Phase 3 and includes three tunnels, with the other two measuring 219 meters and 320 meters in length. The Wavarle tunnel, measuring 7.323 meters in height and 13.282 meters in width, was excavated using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM). This tunnel will feature the first ballastless track in the Mumbai suburban network and will include public refuge areas, a tunnel control system (SCADA), lighting, firefighting, and ventilation systems that meet international standards.

The excavation of the Wavarle tunnel faced several challenges, such as fractured rock masses with water seepage, minimal cover during excavation, and two water streams crossing the tunnel alignment. Despite these obstacles, the project achieved an average underground excavation output of 175 meters per month, with two rounds of blasting conducted daily during daylight hours.

As part of the MUTP-3 initiative, MRVC is also undertaking several other projects to enhance suburban rail infrastructure. These include the quadrupling of tracks between Virar and Dahanu Road on Western Railway, the elevated suburban link between Airoli and Kalawa stations on Central Railway, the procurement of 565 suburban locals, and trespass control on the mid-section on Central and Western Railway, in addition to the Panvel-Karjat double line project worth Rs 476 crore.

MRVC, a joint venture of the Union and Maharashtra governments, remains committed to improving suburban rail infrastructure to provide commuters with an enhanced traveling experience. This breakthrough in the Wavarle tunnel is a testament to the meticulous planning and dedication of the MRVC team.

News by Rahul Yelligetti