CHENNAI ( Metro Rail News ): The contractor for the Chennai Metro Rail Project‘s contract TU02 (Kellys to Taramani), Larsen & Toubro, has started the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) at the Greenways Road Station in Corridor 3.
The TU02 contract for the Chennai Metro Rail Project’s Kellys to Taramani stretch will utilize eight Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs), including the Herrenknecht TBM (S 1027) named Kaveri, after the river Kaveri. Following Kaveri, the next TBM to be deployed from Greenways Road Station will be named Adyar.
According to the project timeline, the Kaveri TBM is expected to reach Adyar Junction Station in August 2023 after tunneling through DB Road and crossing the Adyar River near Thiru Vi. Ka. Bridge. This development is a crucial step forward in the Chennai Metro Rail Project, which aims to improve connectivity and reduce traffic congestion in the city.
Chennai Metro Rail Ltd has begun the expansion of Chennai’s metro rail network under Phase 2, after the completion of Phase 1 and Phase 1 Extension Corridors in stages since June 2015, and due to the increasing ridership in Corridors 1 & 2. The project’s second phase comprises three corridors with a total length of 118.9 km.
To build the extensive network of underground tunnels of Phase 2, a total of 23 Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) will be deployed in Chennai. These TBMs include new machines imported for the works, as well as TBMs remanufactured in India. According to the release, the TBMs will be launched and retrieved multiple times until completion from various shaft locations.
