CMRL – Koyambedu – Chennai Egmore underground route to operate from next December
Posted on: 10/Apr/2014 2:30:19 PM
Chennai Metro Rail project official informed that the underground track between Koyambedu and Egmore will be operative from next December.
Chennai Metro Rail Project, at the cost of Rs. 14,600 Crores, has 2 corridors for a total distance of 45 km. The project is in good progress.
As a first stage, it is planned to operate flying rail between Koyambedu & Alandur, covering a distance of 10 km from the end of October. By the next year end, the section between Koyambedu & Egmore will begin operating.
There are 7 stations in the stretch between Koyambedu & Egmore – Nehru Park, Kilpauk Medical College, Pachaiyappa’s College, Shenoy Nagar, Anna Nagar East, Anna Nagar Tower , and Tirumangalam.
Two tunnels are being built. Tunnel work is completed between Egmore & Nehru Park stations at Poonamallee High Road and between Shenoy Nagar & Anna Nagar Tower stations.
The giant tunnel boring machines which were used in these locations have been dismantled and moved to Pachaiyappa’s College Metro station. Currently, 2 boring machines are in operation for tunnel building between Pachaiyappa’s College & Shenoy Nagar. Another tunnel boring machine is used for the tunnel to Nehru Park. Another 2 tunnel boring machines will be employed in the tunnel work between Anna Nagar Tower station & Tirumangalam station.
Tunnel work between Koyambedu & Egmore is expected to be completed by next July (2015). Test run will be taken up in 4 months after this. The plan is to operate the first metro rail between Koyambedu & Egmore by next December (2015).
Tunnelling work for the second corridor (Chennai Central & St. Thomas Mount) is done at 100 feet below the ground level. It is a challenging task as it is one of the biggest stations consisting of 2 tiers. Further, hard rocks are encountered in the boring process. Still, the project is scheduled to be completed by end June, 2015.
