Metro Rail to submit report to Safety commissioner on Jan 6

C Shivakumar

Chennai:

Decks are being cleared for the commercial run of Chennai Metro Rail’s
elevated stretch
from Koyambedu to Alandur even as nearly 60 to 70 per cent work on the
underground stretch of metro rail is completed and the tunnels from
Thirumangalam to Egmore are expected to be ready by February end,
according to a Chennai Metro Rail official.

Chennai Metro Rail official told Express that CMRL will be submitting
a report to Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety in Bangalore on January
6 seeking clearance for the commercial run of Chennai Metro Rail from
Koyambedu to Alandur.

After he goes through the report, he is expected to visit  Chennai for
inspection. After his clearance, the commercial run will begin any
time pending government approval, he said.

He said that currently, various tests are being conducted. He also
said the elevated stretch between Alandur to St Thomas Mount and
Little Mount to airport is likely to be completed by August end.

Meanwhile, the tunnel boring machine between Shenoy Nagar to Egmore
would break even in the next two days, a official who is familiar with
the underground stretch said. “It has reached the diaphgram walls and
would break even in the next two days,” he said.

He said that the stretch between Nehru Park to Kilapuk Medical College
would be completed by February end paving the way for laying the
tracks in the underground stretch between Egmore to Thirumangalam.

“The target to complete and start the operation from Egmore to
Koyambedu is expected by December end,” he said.

The official said the laying of track in the underground stretch
between Shenoy Nagar to Thirumangalam would commence only after
Pongal.  “We are waiting for the Pongal festival to end so that we can
start the work,” he said.

Interestingly, the work on Chennai Central is yet to gain pace. This
is due to the legal hurdles as well as land acquisition issues which
have been sorted out, he said.