Robbins India has recently started manufacturing facility in Gurugram to accomplish ‘Make In India’ program of Govt of India.

– Kapil Bhati

Managing Director, Robbins Tunneling & Trenchless Technology

Tell us about your company’s India operations, products and services for this market?

It has been more than 17 years when Robbins India made its debut in 2005 with the goal of expanding in all parts of the country and providing the best underground construction solutions in the minimum possible time frames. Robbins has been supplying variable type of TBM’s across the country like EPB’s (Earth Pressure Balancing Machines) for Projects in Jaipur, Delhi Metro Ph-II and Agra, Mixed Face EPB’s in Chennai and Delhi Metro Phase IV, Slurry and Crossover XRE TBM’s in Mumbai Metro, Open Gripper TBM for Mumbai Water Tunnel and 4 Nos of large diameter of 10 M Double Shield Rock TBM for various Water transfer Tunnel Projects. Along with the supply of TBM’s Robbins India also provide expert manpower crew, fixed TBM Spares and Cutters contract. Robbins India is also involved in executing complete back-to-back contracts on per meter basis and successfully completed Bangalore Metro Phase -I Project on this basis.

Robbins still holds the same vision and plans of our presence in Indian market on the long term by providing equipment and full crew for its operations too. Robbins aims to support its clients throughout the entire tunnelling process by providing expert services that include operational and technical assistance for all types of challenging geological strata. Considering the same vision, Robbins India has recently started manufacturing facility in Gurugram, India to accomplish ‘MAKE IN INDIA’ program of Govt of India and already started the remanufacturing of TBM’s for Delhi Metro and Agra Metro in this factory.

What are the major projects underway for your company?

Robbins in India has been existing since 2005 and have worked in many projects of Metro, Irrigation, hydro and water transfer tunnels. Robbins TBM’s has finished Projects in Delhi Metro phase II, Jaipur Metro and Water Transfer tunnel of 8.3Km in Mumbai establishing an Indian tunnelling record of 870 m in a month and completed the entire tunnelling in 18 months. Apart from this, Robbins have supplied 2 X 10m Double shield Hard Rock machines for Alimineti Madhava Reddy project and running with the expert crew of Robbins India on per meter basis which have completed 33km  from total of 43.5Km. Another Robbins 10m dimeter TBM is deployed in Veligonda Tunnel 2 for completing total of 19km water transfer Tunnel in A.P. Robbins is running back-to-back complete tunnelling operations in Sleemanabad, near Jabalpur with One 10m Diameter Robbins Single shield Hybrid TBM. Robbins supplied Crossover TBM’s in Package 1 and 3 of Mumbai metro has also completed entire tunnelling for this package. Currently, Robbins is remanufacturing 5 TBM’s in Robbins Gurugram Factory for Delhi and Agra Metro and 2 TBM’s for L&T in Chennai for Chennai Metro.

How your company does differentiate itself from other players in the industry in terms of technology?

Robbins has been in existence in India since 2005 and going strong. Robbins has been the only TBM Manufacturer in India and Asia who along with the supply of TBM is also executing back to back contracts of tunnelling by supplying complete manpower including expats , Indian experts, entire supply of TBM spares, Cutters, consumables required for tunnelling along with complete maintenance of TBM. This is being done to ensure best production rates and timely completion of Project which Robbins guarantee to the customer while accepting the contract for manufacturing and supply of TBM’s.

How do you foresee the future of TBMs in India?

Indian Construction equipment industry looks promising especially with the Delhi Metro having in execution for phase 3 and 4 with envisages adding 140 km of the network and the construction is in process at various metropolitan cities of India. Other Metro Projects are planned in other cities of the country like Bangalore – Phase II, Chennai – Phase II, Lucknow, Agra, Kanpur, Jaipur Metro Phase -II, Hyderabad, Pune and Ahmedabad along with the Road Tunnels for highways like Zozila pass tunnel, hydroelectric power projects like Tapovan Vishnugad, Pakal Dul HEPP and Rail tunnels of over 100kms in Uttaranchal by RVNL that are under way and would require enormous number of TBM’s of all types which will bring boom in the construction industry. Robbins still holds the same vision and plans our presence in Indian market on the long term by getting involved and supporting the projects operationally too. Robbins aims to support its clients by manufacturing, refurbishing TBM’s in India and support the Project/customer throughout the entire tunnelling process by providing expert services that include operational and technical assistance for its machines and after sales service.

What kinds of policy related challenges are faced by you in the usage of TBMs?

The Import duties on the TBM export earlier was duty free which has now been levied to 7.5% causing impact on the costs of the TBM. Although this change has been for all the suppliers of importing from outside, apart from this there has been no major changes in the policies causing any challenges.

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