Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) has launched its first tunnel boring machine (TBM) Kurinji for Corridor 5 at Kolathur ramp, as part of the Phase 2 expansion of the metro network in Chennai, India.
Jointly owned by the Government of India and the state government of Tamil Nadu, CMRL is responsible for developing and operating the metro rail system in Chennai.
The Phase 2 works commenced after the 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).
The TBM will bore a 246m tunnel between Kolathur Ramp and Kolathur Station until June 2025 and will be moved to the south shaft for a 1.06 km tunnel towards Srinivasa Nagar.
The second TBM, which would arrive by the end of March 2025, will start tunnelling adjacent to Villivakkam Railway Station towards Villivakkam Bus Terminus.
The other two TBMs will be launched according to the site readiness, said CMRL.
CMRL, in a statement, said: “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.”
The ongoing Phase 2 expansion is planned to add three new corridors, Corridor 3, Corridor 4, and Corridor 5, to the Chennai Metro Rail Project network.
Corridor 3 will span 45.8km, from Madhavaram to SIPCOT and comprise 50 stations, and Corridor 4 will stretch 26.1km from Lighthouse to Poonamalle Bypass, with 30 stations.
Corridor 5 will start as an elevated stretch from Madhavaram to Retteri, go underground at Kolathur Junction, and continue to Villivakkam MTH Road.
With a total length of 47km, Corridor 5 will connect Koyambedu, Porur, Alandur and other residential and commercial developments to Shollinganallur.
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 project is expected to be completed and fully operational in 2027, said CMRL.
