Chennai Metro: TBM Kaveri Completes Adyar River Tunneling!
Chennai Metro Rail Limited is progressing with the much-anticipated Phase 2 project across Chennai City, which includes three corridors spanning a total length of 116.1 km.
In Corridor 3, tunneling work from Greenways Station to Adyar Junction Station began in February 2023. Each tunnel spans 1,228 meters, with a section of 300 meters running beneath the Adyar River at a depth of 10–13 meters.
Two Earth Pressure Balancing (EPB) Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs), named ‘Kaveri’ and ‘Adyar,’ are involved in the project. The TBM ‘Kaveri’ successfully completed its drive, achieving a breakthrough at the Adyar shaft. It encountered mixed geological conditions, with rock at the bottom and sand at the top of the tunnel. The TBM also tunneled through hard rock beneath a section of the Adyar River. Throughout the process, it underwent 65 cutter head interventions (CHI) to replace cutting tools and required 178 days for these interventions. The tunnel passes beneath several landmarks, including petrol stations, MGR Janaki College, Andhra Sabha Hospital, Durgabai Deshmukh Road, and the Adyar Bridge ramp.
The second TBM, ‘Adyar,’ is currently 277 meters away from the Adyar shaft and is expected to reach it by November 2024.
The event was attended by Thiru T. Archunan, Director of Projects at CMRL; Thiru Anto Jos Menachery, GM (CIVIL UG); Thiru M. Ravichandran, GM (CIVIL UG); Thiru Tony Burchell, Team Leader of GC; Thiru Sanjeev Mandal, CRE NKAB; Thiru Jayaram, Project Director of L&T; Thiru Ahmet, Project Manager of L&T; Thiru Alan Charles May, NKAB Tunnel Expert; and other officials from CMRL and the General Consultant team.
