Afcons Infrastructure, a Shapoorji Pallonji Group company, has cleared the factory acceptance tests for a Herrenknecht Gripper tunnel boring machine (TBM) with a diameter of 5.33 m. The machine will be deployed for the 7.2 km Bhiwandi–Thane water tunnel project connecting Kasheli to Mulund (Bhiwandi to Octroi Naka).

The project is expected to strengthen Mumbai’s existing water transport network and help increase fresh water supply for millions of residents. Designed for hard rock excavation, the Gripper TBM is built for high performance, precision and reliability.

The entire 7.2 km tunnel drive will be executed in a single drive, with the machine launched through a 14 m diameter shaft at a depth of nearly 133 m. Excavated material will be removed through horizontal and vertical conveyor systems also supplied by Herrenknecht.