The Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation on Friday (June 7) announced the successful breakthrough of the longest tunnel on the under-construction Panvel-Karjat suburban railway line. The breakthrough of the 2,265-meter-long Wavarle tunnel, where excavation commenced on February 22 last year, was accomplished on Friday afternoon. The event was attended by MRVC CMD Subhash Chand Gupta and other senior personnel, as stated by chief public relations officer Sunil Udasi.

“The successful breakthrough of the tunnel represents a major milestone in the Panvel-Karjat railway project, paving the way for enhanced connectivity and transportation efficiency in the Mumbai suburban region,” Udasi said, PTI reported.

The Panvel-Karjat line, part of the Mumbai Urban Transport Project Phase 3, features three tunnels, with the other two measuring 219 meters and 320 meters in length, respectively.

Udasi detailed that the Wavarle tunnel, which stands 7.323 meters high and 13.282 meters wide, was excavated using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM). It will be the first ballastless track in the Mumbai suburban network, equipped with modern features such as public refuge areas, a tunnel control system (SCADA), lighting, firefighting, and ventilation systems that meet contemporary international standards.

Udasi highlighted the significant challenges encountered during the excavation, including fractured rock masses with water seepage, minimal cover, and two water streams crossing the tunnel alignment. Despite these difficulties, an average underground excavation output of 175 meters per month was achieved through meticulous planning, with two rounds of blasting per day during daylight hours due to restrictions on nighttime blasting.

As part of the MUTP-3 initiative, MRVC has undertaken various projects, including 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 Rs 476 crore Panvel-Karjat double line project.

MRVC, a joint venture between the Union and Maharashtra governments, is dedicated to improving suburban rail infrastructure to enhance the commuting experience for passengers, officials added.