This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on March 2, 2018

KUALA LUMPUR: Mass Rapid Transit Corp Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp) says the refurbishing of eight tunnel boring machines (TBMs) has saved up to RM400 million or 15% from what it would cost the group to purchase new ones for the MRT Sungai Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya line (MRT Line 2).

At the launch of the first refurbished TBM for the line at the Bandar Malaysia North Station yesterday, MRT Corp chief executive officer Datuk Seri Shahril Mokhtar said the project owner opted to refurbish the machines to keep costs low.

“This is the first time we've launched a TBM that has been refurbished. We refurbished eight machines out of the total 12 to be used for the project. This saves us about 10% to 15% in costs, compared to purchasing new TBMs,” he said on the sidelines of the event.

MRT Corp previously said it costs between RM40 million and RM60 million for one new TBM.

Overall, Shahril said MRT Line 2 is at 22% completion. The group hopes to finish the project below the budgeted construction cost of RM32 billion, and earlier than the final deadline of 2022.

So far, more than 40 packages, worth about RM30 billion, have been awarded.

“We are working very hard to stay below the budget and finish ahead of schedule. It's been going good so far. The first phase — from Sungai Buloh to Batu Kentonmen — will be completed by July 2021, and the remaining portion of the line up to Putrajaya will be completed in 2022,” said Shahril.

The refurbished TBM was launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who was joined by MRT Corp chairman Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa and Shahril.

The machine launched was a variable density TBM, specifically designed for tunnelling work through the challenging limestone geological formation.

The TBM was a result of the cooperation between MMC Gamuda — the underground work contractor for MRT Line 2 — and TBM manufacturer Herrenknecht AG. The machine was built for tunnelling work in the first MRT line.