C Shivakumar
Chennai:
The 1km underground stretch between Nehru Park and Chennai Egmore has been the toughest challenge for Chennai Metro which nearly took more than 18 months to burrow it using the tunnel boring machine.
“It was almost like burrowing through some ancient valley,” said a Metro Rail source.
“The challenges was the 200 metre stretch from Blue Diamond Hotel till Chennai Egmore which had boulders and rocks that were similar to that of a valley. “At times, the soil was clay and at times too brittle in the stretch,” recounts the Metro Rail official.
The tunnel boring machine can cut boulders but then cutting through the rock was a challenging task. The task was so difficult that Chennai Metro has to arrange for a special tunnel boring machine from Singapore, which could work in different conditions.
This has delayed the package 4 from Shenoy Nagar to Egmore Metro station. Now, things are moving fast. Nearly 85 per cent works on metro stations --- Pachaiyappas College, Kilpauk and Nehru Park have nearly been completed.
Now, the focus is only on architectural as well as electrical work. “We will be completing the work on the entire stretch by August,” a Metro rail source said. Once the work is completed by L&T, which has taken up the contract, it will be handed over to Planning and Business development department of Chennai Metro.
Interestingly, the laying of tracks in the stretch between Shenoy Nagar to Chennai Egmore is about to get over. While laying of tracks from Shenoy Nagar to Egmore Metro in one tunnel has been completed. Work is under process on the other tunnel.
Meanwhile, Chennai Metro is also planning to revive Nehru Park and talks are going on on how to give the station a fresh lease of life.
The restoration work is likely to be taken up in phases. The station is also likely to have a multilevel car park for commuters in the land owned by Chennai Metro. The work is likely to start soon.
Meanwhile, Chennai Metro is in talks with the Highways department to restore Poonamalee Road, which got congested due to Metro work.
This could mean commuting on Poonamallee stretch would be much easier. But when would Metro rail start a test-run on the stretch. “We would soon start,” retorts a Metro Rail source without giing time-frame. But then there is some good news for Chennaites.They can soon dream of experiencing the underground stretch from Shenoy Nagar to Thirumangalam as nearly 100 per cent work is completed there. “We are waiting for overhead electrification. And once it is done, then we could have Chennai Metro train conducting test runs before it is thrown open for public.
Fact file:
Package 5
Thirumangalam to Shenoy Nagar: Completed
Package 4:
Shenoy Nagar to Egmore: 85pc completed
Package 3
Saidapet to Thousand Lights: 85pc completed
Package 2
Thousand Light to May Day Park: Tunneling Work incomplete
Package 1:
Egmore to Washermenpet: 85pc complete
Chennai:
The 1km underground stretch between Nehru Park and Chennai Egmore has been the toughest challenge for Chennai Metro which nearly took more than 18 months to burrow it using the tunnel boring machine.
“It was almost like burrowing through some ancient valley,” said a Metro Rail source.
“The challenges was the 200 metre stretch from Blue Diamond Hotel till Chennai Egmore which had boulders and rocks that were similar to that of a valley. “At times, the soil was clay and at times too brittle in the stretch,” recounts the Metro Rail official.
The tunnel boring machine can cut boulders but then cutting through the rock was a challenging task. The task was so difficult that Chennai Metro has to arrange for a special tunnel boring machine from Singapore, which could work in different conditions.
This has delayed the package 4 from Shenoy Nagar to Egmore Metro station. Now, things are moving fast. Nearly 85 per cent works on metro stations --- Pachaiyappas College, Kilpauk and Nehru Park have nearly been completed.
Now, the focus is only on architectural as well as electrical work. “We will be completing the work on the entire stretch by August,” a Metro rail source said. Once the work is completed by L&T, which has taken up the contract, it will be handed over to Planning and Business development department of Chennai Metro.
Interestingly, the laying of tracks in the stretch between Shenoy Nagar to Chennai Egmore is about to get over. While laying of tracks from Shenoy Nagar to Egmore Metro in one tunnel has been completed. Work is under process on the other tunnel.
Meanwhile, Chennai Metro is also planning to revive Nehru Park and talks are going on on how to give the station a fresh lease of life.
The restoration work is likely to be taken up in phases. The station is also likely to have a multilevel car park for commuters in the land owned by Chennai Metro. The work is likely to start soon.
Meanwhile, Chennai Metro is in talks with the Highways department to restore Poonamalee Road, which got congested due to Metro work.
This could mean commuting on Poonamallee stretch would be much easier. But when would Metro rail start a test-run on the stretch. “We would soon start,” retorts a Metro Rail source without giing time-frame. But then there is some good news for Chennaites.They can soon dream of experiencing the underground stretch from Shenoy Nagar to Thirumangalam as nearly 100 per cent work is completed there. “We are waiting for overhead electrification. And once it is done, then we could have Chennai Metro train conducting test runs before it is thrown open for public.
Fact file:
Package 5
Thirumangalam to Shenoy Nagar: Completed
Package 4:
Shenoy Nagar to Egmore: 85pc completed
Package 3
Saidapet to Thousand Lights: 85pc completed
Package 2
Thousand Light to May Day Park: Tunneling Work incomplete
Package 1:
Egmore to Washermenpet: 85pc complete
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