National
Mumbai Metro receives first Tunnel Boring Machine (With Images)
Mumbai, Sep 5 (IANS) The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) on Tuesday received the first of the 17 Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) it has ordered for construction of the Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ corridor, a top official said here.
Costing Rs 80 crore and weighing around 700-800 tonnes, with a diameter of 6.4 metres, the 100-metre long machine will help in building a tunnel of 5.8 metres size, said MMRC Managing Director Ashwini Bhide.
Procured from the German manufacturer, Herrenknecht AG from its factory in China’s Guangzhou, the machine is expected to be lowered from the launching shaft at Naya Nagar in Mahim around mid-October using heavy gantry of 135 tonnes capacity.
Prior to that the different components of the machine including front and middle shields, cutter head, erector, screw conveyor and tail-skin shield will be assembled over a period of 45 days.
The highly-mechanised Earth Pressure Balance device will be used to construct the tunnels with circular cross-section, said Bhide.
“The machine is one of the three TBMs to be used for constructing 6.10 km long tunnels between Dharavi and Siddhi Vinayak Metro stations with Shitla Devi and Dadar stations next month,” she added.
With the arrival of the first TBM, the MMRC has kicked off its tunneling activity, the most critical part of this project.
“Over the next two years, a total of 17 TBMs shall be deployed constructing the 33.50 km long twin tunnels on the corridor,” Bhide added.
The Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ line will be the first Metro stretch running fully underground and a 1.2 kms long stretch that would be constructed below the Mithi River-Mahim Creek.
The project comprising 27 stations en route and estimated to cost around Rs 23,000 crore, is expected to be completed by 2020, to serve nearly two million passengers daily, as per plans.
The precast segments essential for forming a concrete ring inside the tunnel are already being manufactured at six different casting yards.
Around 40,000 segments rings will be needed for the entire project which will be casted in 65 moulds imported from France and South Korea, she said.
The TBMs have been successfully used to bore similar tunnels in New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangaluru and heritage precincts of Jaipur besides cities like Rome, Paris, Barcelona, Madrid, etc.
–IANS
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National
Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.