The Genesis of Underground Engineering

On November 22, 2024, the open-type rock TBM with an excavation diameter of 11.93 meters (the largest of its kind in China), rolled off the assembly line of China Railway Construction Heavy Industry Corporation Limited (CRCHI).

On October 31, 2024, a super-large diameter shield machine with a maximum excavation diameter of 16.64 meters rolled off the production line in Changsha, Hunan. It will be used in the construction of the world's longest underwater highway

Tunnelling has played a crucial role in shaping India's infrastructure landscape. From the early hand-drilled techniques employed during railway construction in the 1800s to the state-of-the-art technology driving modern metro projects

Shri Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways, emphasizes the importance of robust infrastructure for economic growth and outlines the government's ambitious plans for investing in high-quality tunnels, bridges, and roads.

Bhavani Koneru, FICCI Transport Infrastructure Committee Member & Executive Vice President and Head – Urban Transit SBG, Larsen & Toubro, highlights the immense potential of tunnelling for enhancing connectivity and boosting economic activity

Lt Gen Srinivasan discusses the unique challenges of tunnelling in the fragile Himalayan terrain and showcases success stories like the Atal Tunnel and the Sela Tunnel, highlighting the government's role in promoting tunnelling advancements. Lt Gen Raghu Srinivasan, Director General, Border Roads Organization

Dinesh Chand Deshwal, Commissioner-Railway Safety (Northern Circle), Ministry of Civil Aviation, Govt of India, delves into the history of tunnelling in India, tracing its evolution from early hand-drilled techniques to modern

We are very optimistic about the growth in the Tunnelling sector - be it tunnelling in Roads, Railways, Hydro, or Border Roads. We see a potential market of 40-50 machines year on year in the next 5-6 years, but the market is still price sensitive.

Harpal Singh, Joint Chief Operating Officer, Megha Engineering and Infrastructures, highlights the practical challenges faced by construction contractors, including political interference and unskilled labor, and emphasizes the need for

Sanjay Saxena, COO Sales, Marketing & Customer Support, SANY Heavy Industry India's, specialized products for tunnel construction includes advanced excavators, piling rigs, and diaphragm wall grabs for precise and efficient operation.

Colonel Parikshit Mehra, Tunnel Expert, emphasizes the critical role of technology in managing geological uncertainties and advocates integrating dynamic monitoring systems and data analysis to optimize tunnel support systems and ensure safety.

Manitou offers compact, heavy-duty, & rotating telehandlers with special custom attachments and increased lifting capacities for efficient tunnelling. Kulwinder Kumar, National Key Accounts Manager, Manitou

Rakesh Ravinder Pandita, Chief Executive officer, Lombardi Engineering India, stresses the importance of collaboration among stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle and introduces the concept of a Common Data Environment (CDE) and Building

Normet is the only manufacturer in the tunnelling industry that offers both the equipment and chemicals essential for tunnelling projects. Our extensive range of shotcrete machines is designed to efficiently spray concrete for various

KVVR Sarma, Vice President, Afcons Infrastructure, shares valuable insights from his experience in the USBRL Project and emphasizes the need for detailed geological investigations, real-time data analysis, and effective collaboration among stakeholders.

Rajiv Dhanker, Director - Project & Planning, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, highlights DMRC's extensive experience in tunnelling projects and their role in sharing knowledge and expertise with other agencies. He also discusses the challenges faced

On September 29th 2024, at the Ingenbohl construction site which is 70 kilometers away from Zurich, Switzerland, a new type of double shield hard TBM, which was designed and manufactured by China Railway Construction Heavy Industry Corporation

Dr. Rakesh Kumar Khali, Vice President- Operations (Tunnel & UG Works), and Naveen Bahuguna, Design Lead- Tunnel & Underground projects, G R Infraprojects Limited, present a selection of excavation sequences, control blasting

Mohammad Forooghi, Vishal Bansal, Majid Tajik, Soner Batuman & Pranshu Aggarwal at Turkish Engineering Consulting & Contracting -TUMAS India, and Sumit Jain, Rail Vikas Nigam Limited, present evaluations, considerations, and exploration