The senior officials of the Chennai Metro Rail Project have announced that the tunnelling work for the 2nd Phase of the Chennai Metro Rail Project will begin in the 3rd corridor, known as Madhavaram-Siruseri-SIPCOT, during the first week of October. This phase will cover a distance of 116.1 km across three corridors.
The third corridor will stretch from Madhavaram to Siruseri, covering a distance of 45 km, while the fourth corridor will extend from Lighthouse to Poonamallee, spanning 26.1 km. Additionally, the fifth corridor will connect Madhavaram to Sholinganallur, covering a distance of 44.6 km.
Within the Madhavaram-Siruseri-SIPCOT corridor, a total of 19 elevated Metro Rail Stations and 28 underground Railway Stations are planned for construction.
Specifically, in the section between Greenways Road and Adyar Junction, a project involving the laying of a 1.2 km tunnel 70 feet below the Adyar River commenced on February 16 of this year. The initial tunneling equipment, named `Kaveri`, has completed 180 km of tunnelling, including passing under the Adyar River at the Thiru Vi Ka Bridge and reaching the Adyar Junction. The second tunneling equipment has constructed 80 meters of tunnel thus far.
As per the Chennai Metro Senior Officials, the tunnelling work under the Adyar River at a depth of 70 feet is set to commence in the first week of October. The officials further clarified that the tunnelling work, currently in progress in the section between Greenways Road and Adyar Junction, is expected to reach Adyar by the end of September. The tunnelling equipment will operate at a reduced speed for the 400-meter stretch along the Adyar River.