The first set of tunnel boring machines (TBMs) for Mumbai’s major underground infrastructure project is expected to reach Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) from China by September 24, officials confirmed. The arrival marks a crucial step in accelerating tunnelling works, with another set of TBMs to follow in the coming weeks.

Out of the 21 km-long tunnel, 4.8 km has already been completed using the NATM method. The remaining sections will now be excavated using TBMs. Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Saturday that the machines had been dispatched from China and are en route on the vessel Chipol Xiongan, carrying 18 packages and two containers weighing a total of 934 metric tonnes.

The consignment will undergo customs clearance at JNPA before being moved to the tunnelling sites, a process expected to take about 10 days. Unloading and transportation are likely to be completed in the first week of October, officials said.

Three TBMs, manufactured by German tunnelling specialist Herrenknecht at its Guangzhou facility, will be deployed through vertical shafts at Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC), Vikhroli, and Sawli. Preparatory works include a 42-metre inclined shaft at Ghansoli and a portal at Shilphata, being executed by engineering firm Afcons.

The delivery of the TBMs was delayed due to geopolitical tensions, including the India-China standoff in Galwan. The shipment had been stuck at a Chinese port since early 2025. Following intervention by the Ministry of Railways and the Ministry of External Affairs, the issue was resolved through diplomatic channels. Sources said the matter was also raised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

News source: The Free Press Journal