National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) has successfully lowered the cutterhead of the second Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project in Navi Mumbai, officials said on Sunday. Pics/X (@nhsrcl)
Updated On: 2026-05-24 09:25 PM IST
Compiled by : Asif Ali Sayed
According to NHSRCL, the 13.6-metre diameter cutterhead weighs around 350 tonnes and forms a critical part of the TBM’s main shield assembly
The operation marks the final stage of the primary assembly process before the machine becomes fully operational
The second TBM will tunnel from Sawli towards Vikhroli in Mumbai, while the cutterhead for the first Tunnel Boring Machine was lowered at Vikhroli last week
Officials said both TBMs will now undergo final assembly and commissioning trials before excavation work begins in the first week of July
The machines are specifically designed to excavate a single large tunnel capable of accommodating both up and down railway lines of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor
NHSRCL stated that each cutterhead is equipped with 84 cutter discs, 124 scrapers and 16 bucket lips, officials said, adding that these components help in excavation and the removal of debris during tunnelling operations
