Mumbai: In a major boost to the Hetawane water supply augmentation scheme, Afcons Infrastructure Ltd has set a new national tunnelling record by completing 777 metres of tunnelling in single month using Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) ‘Flamingo’ in a 3.2m diametre of tunnel, it said on Friday in its official statement.
New Milestone in Tunnelling
The feat was achieved in July 2025 as part of CIDCO’s Water Tunnel Package-1, which is critical for augmenting the drinking water supply to Navi Mumbai and surrounding nodes.
Afcons’ TBM ‘Flamingo’ sets national record with 777m tunnelling in a month for Navi Mumbai water project | File Photo
The 3.2m diameter tunnel is part of CIDCO’s ambitious water supply augmentation project aimed at ensuring steady and enhanced drinking water supply to Navi Mumbai. Of the total 8.7-km tunnel length in Package-1, Afcons has so far completed 3.4km of tunnelling.
Record Surpasses Previous Benchmark
With this achievement, Afcons has broken the previous national monthly record of 653 metres set at the Amar Mahal II Tunnel project in Mumbai in July 2024. In May this year, Afcons had already created waves in the tunnelling industry by completing 714 metres in a month — a feat it has now bettered.
“This sets a new standard across the national tunnelling industry. The record demonstrates the team’s ability to execute challenging infrastructure projects at speed and with precision. We remain committed to sustaining this momentum and aim to deliver even greater performance in the coming months,” said R Anantakumar, Director – Urban Infrastructure, Afcons.
Engineering Challenges Overcome
Afcons’ team had to overcome several engineering and logistical challenges to achieve this record. The tunnelling alignment runs through complex geological formations, including Amygdaloidal basalt in the Sahyadri region.
“There were severe space constraints that impacted equipment setup and manoeuvrability. In addition, mucking and material transportation had to be carried out over a demanding 4-km stretch. The adaptive tunnelling strategies played a key role,” said R Anantakumar, Director – Urban Infrastructure, Afcons.
Also Watch:
Critical for Water Security
The Hetawane water augmentation project is one of CIDCO’s key water infrastructure initiatives for the region, aimed at securing long-term water sustainability for CIDCO areas and Panvel Municipal Corporation.
To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/
