TBM lowered into place for São Paulo metro extension

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Megatatuzão – the tunnelling boring machine (TBM) responsible for excavating São Paulo’s Line 5 extension – has been lowered underground.

In August, the 1,500 tonne TBM will begin a 4.8km journey from the city’s Campo Belo district to Chácara Klabin station in Vila Mariana.

The Line 5 – Lilac Metro will connect with São Paulo’s Line 1 – Blue and Line 2 – Green routes and provide improved accessibility to some of the city’s major hospitals and medical facilities.

The TBM has a diameter of 10.58 metres and is expected to drill around 12-15 metres each day.

Megatatuzão, which has been modified since being used in the construction of Line 4 – Yellow, will be joined by two more smaller cutting shields to complete the project – the first time in Brazil’s history that three TBMs will have been in use at the same time.

Once complete, the R $7.5 billion extension will more than double the current 8.5 km route, adding 11.5 km of additional track and 11 new stations.

The first of the new stations, Adolfo Pinheiro, is scheduled to open later this year.

 

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