Metro rail underground passage below Cooum River
Posted on: 13/May/2014 2:15:19 PM
The tunnelling work under the Cooum River in the section between May Day Park & Central Railway Station for the Metro Rail Project has started and progressing well.
As the tunnelling is below the river, digging of the tunnel is done at 30 metres below the ground level.
Metro rail Project comprises of 2 corridors at a cost of Rs. 14,600 Crores covering a distance of 45.1 km.
The first corridor is between Washermanpet & Chennai Airport (23.1 km). The second corridor is between Washermanpet & St. Thomas Mount (22 km).
The tunnelling work is also in 2 sections. The first section is between Washermanpet & Saidapet for 14.3 km. The second tunnelling section is between Central railway station and Anna Nagar 2nd Avenue.
12 imported boring machines are used for the tunnelling work.
The tunnelling work in the section between Washremanpet & Saidapet and the section between May Day Park (Chintadripet) & Central Railway Station is in progress. The work is for a single track only with the second track work planned later.
About 750 metres of tunnelling has been completed in the section between May Day Park (Chintadripet) & Central Railway Station. Currently, the tunnelling work under the Cooum River is in progress.
Usually, tunnelling work is done at 17 metres below the ground level. As the tunnelling work is carried out under the Cooum River, the tunnelling is done at 30 metres below the ground level.
A Metro official informed that there were no major difficulties in undertaking this work. The distance under the Cooum River is 15 metres maximum. As such, the work is expected to be completed quickly. The next part will be taken up for the second track for the same section.
