Skip to main content

Meet Nayak: The Giant Machine Digging Our 15-Minute Tunnel



In our previous article, we explored the "15-Minute Dream." We learned how the new Thane-Borivali Twin Tunnel will soon change our daily lives. It will finally end those long, tiring traffic jams on Ghodbunder Road. But building an 11.8-kilometer road deep under the Sanjay Gandhi National Park is not easy. How exactly do you dig a massive tunnel through solid rock without hurting the forest?

You need a giant, powerful tool. For Thane, that superhero machine is named "Nayak."

What is Nayak?

Nayak is a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM). Think of it as a massive, high-tech earthworm made of steel. Built by a German engineering company, Nayak is a true record-breaker. It is the largest hard rock TBM ever used for a city road tunnel in India.

The sheer size of this machine is hard to imagine. The entire machine is 86 meters long. The round cutting shield at the very front is over 13 meters wide. To picture this size, just imagine a standard four-story building spinning around!

The Story Behind the Name

You might ask, why name a giant steel machine Nayak? The inspiration comes directly from nature.

The Sanjay Gandhi National Park is home to a beautiful, swift butterfly known as the Commander. The local name for this butterfly is Nayak. The project leaders picked this name to represent strength, speed, and precision. It acts as a promise to the citizens. The machine will work powerfully deep below the ground, but it will leave the delicate forest and animals totally untouched above.

Nayak will not work alone. A twin machine named "Arjuna" is currently being put together right next to it to dig the second road.

How Does the Giant Dig?

Digging through the hard black rock of Maharashtra is very difficult. Nayak handles this with ease. Its massive front wheel is covered in heavy-duty metal cutters. It spins slowly, making about four and a half turns every minute. As it spins, it grinds the solid rock into small pieces.

The machine works non-stop, 24 hours a day. Operating at full speed, it cuts through about 10 meters of solid rock every single day.

Digging and Building Together

The most amazing part of Nayak is what happens behind the cutting wheel. Nayak does not just leave an empty hole in the ground. As it pushes forward, the machine acts like a mobile factory.

It automatically picks up heavy, curved pieces of pre-made concrete. It carefully fits these pieces together in a ring. This ring forms the permanent, strong walls of the tunnel. Nayak digs the hole and builds the safe walls at the exact same time. This keeps the earth from caving in and makes the tunnel completely safe as the machine moves forward.

Looking Ahead

Nayak officially started its underground journey from the Thane side on April 7, 2026. Right now, it is quietly working deep below the ground we walk on.

In a few years, you will drive smoothly through this brand-new route. When you make that 15-minute trip to Borivali, remember Nayak. Remember the giant mechanical butterfly that quietly chewed through miles of hard rock to bring our two cities closer together.


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Solid Waste Management in Thane City – A Citizen’s Overview

Solid waste management is a major urban challenge, especially for a fast-growing city like Thane. With ever increasing population and continuous urban development, managing daily waste is both a necessity and a responsibility. The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) is in charge of handling this task, which involves collection, transport, disposal, and treatment of various kinds of waste. How Much Waste is Thane Producing? Thane city generates over 950 metric tons of solid waste every day. With this, Thane is among the top 5 cities in Maharashtra in solid waste generation. The solid waste includes wet waste (mostly food and organic waste) of 55% and dry waste (paper, plastic, glass, etc.) of 45%. The dry waste further consists of Plastics and Thermocol – 27.5%, Recyclables (paper, glass, metal, e-waste) – 35%, Miscellaneous (wood, clothes, rubber, furniture) – 35% and Non-biodegradable/inert waste – 2.5% Additionally, the city generates Biomedical waste of Over 7 lakh kg per year from ho...
1 comment
Read more

The Enduring Journey: Thane’s Fort to Jail

For every resident of Thane, the name “Thane Jail” probably brings to mind the present-day correctional facility. But did you know that this site is actually one of the most historic landmarks in our city — a silent witness to centuries of conflict, change, and community life? While Thane has today grown into a bustling metropolis, the old fort — which now houses the jail — along with a few other ancient buildings are the only surviving remnants of Thane’s glorious past. Let’s take a journey back in time to uncover the rich history preserved within its stone walls. Thane Jail did not begin as a prison. Around 1730, the Portuguese — who had ruled Thane since 1533 — began constructing a strong fort to defend the town. Earlier, they had relied on watchtowers and smaller forts, but as their power declined, they realized the need for stronger defenses. However, before they could finish, the Marathas swept into Salsette in April 1737. The unfinished fort withstood two Maratha assaults, but t...
1 comment
Read more

Thane's Glorious Legacy: The Ghodbunder Fort

Welcome to Thane, a city that's constantly evolving and growing, now embracing us as its new citizens! You might see modern residences, glittering shopping malls, and beautifully planned gardens along Ghodbunder Road today, but did you know that this very road, and the historic fort at its end, hold stories stretching back centuries, making Thane a city truly unique and special? Long before it became the Smart City we know today, Thane was the proud capital of the Shilahara dynasty for nearly a thousand years. Over time, its boundaries kept shifting and expanding. In ancient times, Thane flourished as a prosperous port and a vibrant hub of international trade. Silk textiles and fragrant spices were exported overseas from its bustling markets. The city was especially famous for its exquisite woven silk, crafted by over 900 skilled silk weavers and more than 1,200 cotton weavers who brought glory to its name. The name ‘Ghodbunder’ itself tells a fascinating story about Thane’s rich p...
Post a Comment
Read more