Metro Rail work resumes in Anna Salai
Posted on: 09/Sep/2016 12:25:33 PM
After a hiatus of 15 months, the metro rail work between Chennai DMS and May Day Park has begun. Metro Rail has decided to complete the entire work by March 2018.
The phase I of the project covers 45 km of the city that extends from Washermanpet to Chennai airport (23 km) and Chennai Central to St. Thomas Mount (22 km). Of this, only 10 km stretch between Koyambedu and Alandur has been launched. Trial run between Alandur and Airport is being conducted now.
In between, in July last year, when the contractors for the project Russian firm Mosmetrostroy and Gammon India couldn’t complete the construction between Saidapet and May Day Park, the work came to a grinding halt. CMRL terminated the contract of Gammon India as they failed to complete work on time.
The contract to build underground stations from Saidapet to AG-DMS was given to L&T, which has started the work there also but only 48 percent of work in the DMS-May Day sector was completed. For the last 15 months no work has taken in these places causing traffic snarls in Anna Salai.
Now 4 km tunneling work is being undertaken. Similarly L and T has begun the construction of stations.
An official of CMRL while speaking said: Since the project evaluation money was less, the firms were reluctant to commence the work. Because of this the works between DMS and May Day Park did not take place for 15 months. Only 50 percent work related to tunneling and construction work of stations have been completed. Tenders were called for to complete the pending works. Two firms were selected. the cost of this project is Rs 600 Crores. For the last one week the construction of the railway stations are going on. It has been decided to complete the entire work by March 2018.
