Two tunnel boring machines (TBMs) engaged in Chennai Metro Rail work will soon complete work on a tunnel, part of the underground network for the service, from Mannady to Madras High Court station.
The TBMs have to each drill a distance of 690 metres on the stretch. So far, the two have drilled 655 metres and 672 metres, respectively.
“In the coming weeks, both machines would have reached Madras High Court station. We have to finish some technical procedures before commencing work on the next tunnel. After that, the TBMs will start drilling from Madras High Court to Chennai Central Metro station,” said an official of Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL).
The two TBMs began tunnelling in October 2012 and have a target of 4.4 km from Washermanpet to Chennai Central. In the past nine months, the TBMs have drilled a distance of 1.3 km from Washermenpet to Mannady
The Chennai Metro Rail project coming up at a cost of Rs. 14,600 crore will have 32 stations — 19 underground and 13 elevated. Four of the underground stations will be on the Washermenpet-Chennai Central stretch.
Eleven TBMs have been drafted in for the construction of the underground network.
