Eight tunnel boring machines will work in pairs and each machine is designed to bore up to 10m per day. The machines, which are 115m long, 7.5m in diameter and weigh 900 tonnes, are being operated CRTG, China.

The Red Line will run from Bat-Yam in the southwest through the city centre to Petakh Tikva in the east with a branch running north to Kiryat Arye. It will have have 33 stations and will connect with Israel Railways’ main line services at Tel Aviv Central/Arlozorov.

“We’ve started operating the TBMs in order to bore quickly and reach the destination on or even ahead of the planned date,” says Israel’s transport minister Mr Israel Katz. The line is scheduled for completion in 2021.

Tel Aviv Red Line TBM

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