By Lynda Myer
In order to advancing the drive of the 2.1km Corridor 4 section from Panagal Park Station to Kodambakkam Powerhouse Ramp (upline), the TBM Pelican (S1075B) was launched by CMRL( Chennai Metro Rail Limited) in the presence of senior officials from CMRL, General Consultants, M/s AEON Consortium, and ITD Cementation.
While the determined date for completion of the process is end of December 2024, the TBM is due to exacavte at a maximum depth of 18.5m from ground level and will pass through North Usman Road flyover and Kodambakkam flyover. Following that the retrieved TBM is slated to commence tunneling from Panagal Park towards Boat Club Station.
On April 1, 2024, journey of the second machine for UG02 Package( TBM Peacock (S1074B) ) will start from Panagal Park to Kodambakkam Powerhouse Ramp retrieving shaft in Downline.
A total of four TBMs will be utilized to construct metro stations and tunnels in the two Corridor 4 packages UG01 (Light House to Bharathidasan Road) & UG02 (Bharathidasan Road to Kodambakkam Powerhouse Ramp) bagged by ITD Cementation India Limited.
Also, TBM’s Flamingo and Eagle which are the first two TBMs have already been started up from Light House Station towards Thirumayilai Metro Station: TBM Flamingo on the Down Line on the 1st September 2023 and TBM Eagle on the Upline on the 18th January 2024.
Linking the beachfront from Light House station to Poonamallee Depot with 27 stations (9 underground and 18 elevated stations),Chennai Metro Rail Phase II Corridor 4 is a 26.1km East-West alignment. The passing route of the Corridor 4 underground part is through Chennai’s oldest areas like Mylapore, Kutchery Road to new and upmarket areas like Alwarpet, Bharatidasan, Boat Club, Panagal Park & Kodambakkam, whereas it stretchs over 10 km from the Lighthouse.
Following the successful completion of the Phase 1 and Phase 1 Extension Corridors in stages since June 2015 and the growing ridership in Corridors 1 & 2, CMRL has commenced the expansion of the Chennai city’s metro rail network as part of Phase 2. Currently, CMRL has ventured into an extensive infrastructure development in the city comprising of 3 more corridors of metro rail for a total length of 116.1 km with 119 metro stations.
