Tata Power's high tension transmission tower to put Mumbai Metro work on fast track

Tata Power, India’s largest integrated power utility, announced that its project team designed and proposed to build a novel 3-circuit high-tension transmission tower at a Mumbai Metro construction site.

Carrying 220 kV power lines overhead, the tower will facilitate clearance of obstructing transmission lines over the Mumbai Metro rail network between Amar Mahal, Ghatkopar and Vikhroli. The project will be completed by December 2021.

This innovative tower will be constructed at a cost of 1.0 crore under all safety precautions. It will benefit both the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) and consumers at large by saving Rs30cr per circuit on infrastructure development and by ensuring uninterrupted power supply during the construction work.

In case of some other usual project, the MMRDA would have been left with no option but to lay an underground network, a mammoth and daunting task to execute.

The main objective behind this innovative tower design was to lay down a section of the proposed network of the Mumbai Metro rail below the existing EHV transmission lines of Tata Power. In order to implement the same, a detailed analysis was carried out by the project team to arrive at an innovative design of 3-circuit (in contrast with the conventional 1, 2 or 4 circuit towers).

The Project Team also identified exact requirements, conducted actual site survey and gathered engineering inputs which were validated through statutory mandates.

After finalising the structural drawing in consultation with the designing body, Tata Power’s project team proposed to raise the height of the tower from 35.7 m to a record height of 50.1 m without affecting the regular power supply to Mumbai Metro/MMRDA. By doing this, it aims to ensure the rapid development of public transport infrastructure while maintaining reliable, uninterrupted and quality power supply. The tower structure and foundations were designed using the STAAD PRO software which helped optimise the tower height to achieve adequate clearances.

"We are proud of our project team for the innovative design to facilitate faster execution of the 3 ckt transmission tower for the prestigious Mumbai Metro rail network. These towers will be a testament of our reliable and advanced solutions to support development of advance transport infrastructure in the Mumbai city,” said Sanjay Banga, President – Transmission & Distribution, Tata Power.

Metro Project Implementation Unit / MMRDA has appreciated Tata Power’s designed scheme as it will not only save cost of new tower designs and but also reduce project cycle time. The innovative work will now help it execute all line crossings of Metro line 2B, ML-4 & two Nos of crossings of ML-6 in adherence to Railway’s and CEA regulations.

Tata Power project innovation has also been appreciated for this tower design at the industry level and has been awarded with a Silver Award under the Breakthrough Category of CII National KAI-ZEN Competition.

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Credit: indiainfoline