By rosebell
In order to advancing the Corridor 5 at Kolathur ramp, which is a part of the Phase 2 expansion of the metro network in Chennai, India, Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) has comissioned its first tunnel boring machine (TBM) Kurinji.
The responsibility of developing and operating the metro rail system in Chennai is up to CMRL that is jointly owned by the Government of India and the state government of Tamil Nadu.
The date of starting Phase 2 works was following completion of Phase 1 and Phase I extension corridors in several stages, since June 2015 and the growing ridership in Corridors 1 and 2.
Kurinji is the first among the planned four TBMs, each named after distinct Tamil landscapes (Kurinji, Mullai, Marutham, and Neithal).
Being located between Kolathur Ramp and Kolathur Station, excavation of the 246m tunnel until June 2025 is up to this TBM, whereas it is due to be moved to the south shaft for a 1.06 km tunnel towards Srinivasa Nagar.
The scheduled date for arrival of the second TBM is the end of March 2025, and it is going to start tunneling adjacent to Villivakkam Railway Station towards Villivakkam Bus Terminus and also the other two TBMs will be launched according to the site readiness, said CMRL.
According to CMRL’s statement: “The 7.8km underground tunnel section with twin tunnels of 3.9km each of Corridor 5, including five underground stations from Kolathur Ramp to Nathamuni Ramp is being executed through M/s.Tata Projects limited and have to mobilise a total of 4 TBMs for the works. Additional Chief Secretary, Special Initiatives, Government of Tamil Nadu Dr. K. Gopal I.A.S., along with CMRL Director T. Archunan, (Project), Livingstone, CGM (PP&D), General Consultant Team Leader Tony Burchell and Usman Sharief, Chief Resident Engineer, M/s Tata Projects and other officials and staff of CMRL, GC and Tata Projects visited the site.”
Adding three new corridors, Corridor 3, Corridor 4, as well as Corridor 5, to the Chennai Metro Rail Project network is the intention of ongoing Phase 2 expansion.
Stretching from Madhavaram to SIPCOT, Corridor 3 will span 45.8km and comprise 50 stations, while Corridor 4 is slated to be 26.1km from Lighthouse to Poonamalle Bypass, with 30 stations.
Additionally, Corridor 5 will start as an elevated stretch from Madhavaram to Retteri, go underground at Kolathur Junction, and continue to Villivakkam MTH Road.
Linking Koyambedu, Porur, Alandur and other residential and commercial developments to Shollinganallur, Corridor 5’s total length will be 47km.
The Phase 2 expansion will add 118.9km of new railway lines and 128 new stations to the Chennai Metro, bringing the city’s total metro rail network to 173km.
The planned date for completion of this project is 2027, as CMRL said.
