CHENNAI (Metro Rail News): Chennai Metro Rail Limited has initiated the expansion of the city’s metro rail network, embarking on Phase 2 following the successful completion of Phase 1 and Phase 1 Extension Corridors in multiple stages since June 2015. This expansion comes in response to the increasing ridership observed in Corridors 1 and 2. CMRL is now undertaking an extensive infrastructure development endeavor in the city, encompassing the addition of three more metro rail corridors. These new corridors will extend over a combined length of 116.1 kilometers and will incorporate a total of 119 metro stations.
Phase II Corridor 4 of Chennai Metro, with a length of 26.1 kilometers, runs in an east-west alignment, connecting the beachfront from Light House station to Poonamallee Depot. It comprises nine underground stations and 18 elevated stations, with the underground section extending over 10 kilometers. This underground portion traverses through diverse areas, from the historic precincts of Mylapore and Kutchery Road to the new and upmarket areas like Alwarpet, Bharatidasan, Boat Club, Panagal Park, and Kodambakkam.
The ambitious Corridor 4 project will employ a total of four TBMs for its construction. ITD Cementation India Limited secured the underground projects, C4-UG 01 and C4-UG 02, which involve the construction of metro stations and tunnels. At Light House Station, two TBMs, Flamingo (S1352A) and Eagle (S1073B), will be launched, while at Panagal Park, two more TBMs, Peacock (S1074B) and Pelican (S1075B), will be launched for excavation.
The commencement of the first tunnel construction in Corridor 4, covering a total length of 1.96 kilometers, took place today (01.09.2023). The work is progressing from Light House to Thirumayilai Metro, with the TBM Flamingo deployed in the south shaft’s down line.
The launch event was graced by Thiru. T. Archunan, Director Projects at CMRL, who initiated the first TBM, Flamingo, in the presence of senior officials from CMRL, General Consultants from M/s AEON Consortium, and ITD Cementation.
TBM Flamingo has been launched in the down line of Corridor 4, and will tunnel at a maximum depth of 30 meters below ground, beginning its route from Light House Station towards Kutchery Road. It is anticipated to reach Thirumayilai Station in approximately one year and is expected to conclude its journey at the retrieval shaft of Boat Club Station in May 2026.
