The last tunnel of the Big Circle Line will be passed at a depth of eight to 25 meters
“The tunneling of the Big Circle Line (BCL) is scheduled to be complete by the end of this year”, said Andrey Bochkarev, Deputy Mayor of Moscow on Urban Planning and Construction. Mosinzhproekt Engineering Holding is the operator of the Moscow Metro Development Program.
“Today, Sergei Sobyanin, Mayor of Moscow, has announced the start of the last shield tunneling on the Big Circle Line. This is the 70th tunnel on the BCL – it will be built by the “Elena” six-meter tunnel boring machine in the eastern section. Also, several more sections of the new circle line are currently being tunneled. By the end of this year, all tunnels on the BCL will be passed,” said Andrey Bochkarev.
According to him, the last tunnel of the Big Circle Line between Klenovy Bulvar and Kashirskaya stations will be passed at a depth of eight to 25 meters.
“The tunnel boring machine will work in conditions of dense urban development, including the technical zone of the operating tunnels of the Zamoskvoretskaya Line. The work will be carried out following the required safety measures,” specified the Deputy Mayor, adding that the neighboring right running tunnel is 70% complete.
For his part, Yuri Kravtsov, General Director of Mosinzhproekt JSC, explained that at the same time, in the east of the BCL, the “Liliya” tunnel boring machine has already passed 70% of the double-track running tunnel between Nagatinsky Zaton and Klenovy Bulvar.
“The “Victoria” ten-meter tunnel boring machine has currently passed more than 50% of the double-track tunnel from Pechatniki towards Nagatinsky Zaton. Tunneling from Klenovy Bulvar to the site No. 2 was completed a month ago by the “Victory” giant shield”, said the holding head, adding that a TBM “Esmina” is also erecting a link to the Aminyevskaya depot in the southwest of the BCL.
“In total, on the Big Circle Line since the beginning of the mega project, in 2012, the tunnel boring machines started 70 and finished 65 times. The shield tunneling of all tunnels along the entire length of the Big Circle Line will be completed by the end of this year,” said Yuri Kravtsov.
The Big Circle Line project is the flagship and the most ambitious for the Moscow metro construction. The 70-km line will have 31 stations, 12 of which are already open for passengers. The BCL will become the longest underground circle line in the world.
