Tuesday, July 15, 2014

CMRL drills 5-km Underground stretch till Tirumangalam

Chennai:

The five kilometre stretch between Koyambedu and Shenoy Nagar which is
likely to be operational by the end of 2015 got a boost as Chennai
Metro Rail dug up the first tunnel till Tirumangalam.

A senior metro rail official told Express that the while the first
tunnel was drilled till VeeCare hospital in Tirumangalam, the other
tunnel boring machine has completed 75 per cent of the work. The
tunnel ends at Tirumangalam and from here a ramp will be built
connecting the elevated stretch in Koyambedu.

Meanwhile, another breakthrough was achieved at the underground
stretch when tunnel boring machine (TBM) of Afcons- Transtonnelstory
joint venture completed its first tunnel drive from May Day Park to
Central Metro.

“The TBM had a successful breakthrough at Central advance shaft area.
A total of 1040 m of tunneling has been completed and the TBM has
crossed several buildings, including the Cooum River and southern
railway tracks,” Chennai Metro Rail said.

Metro rail has also started working on cross passages in the
underground stretch. Cross passages are provided as a connecting link
between the twin tunnels mainly for the purpose of safe evacuation of
passengers during an emergency.

Meanwhile, a senior metro rail official stated that Chennai Metro Rail
is trying to meet the October deadline. But sources at the site said a
clearer picture would emerge only by next month.

Interestingly, the Rs 385 crore work allotted to four construction
companies to finish the 10 elevatedstations is progressing
smoothly.”It is likely to take another two to three months,” a senior
metro rail official said. “The laying of tracks and signals is
complete. The date of commissioning the elevated stretch would be
known by next month only,” the official said.

The laying of the concrete structure or viaduct on the elevated
stretch between Guindy and Alandur would be also be completed by
October. To a query on whether it would also be inaugurated on
October, the official said all the gaps would be filled up. “Then we
will be laying tracks and signals after this only the line would be
commissioned which is unlikely in October,” he added.

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