Tunneling Resumes in Chennai

After a pause of a month and half, underground tunneling on the Chennai Metro Rail’s blue line in Anna Salai has finally resumed!

The original contractor of the stretch – Gammon & Mosmetrostroy had abandoned the project after they had defaulted on a payment to vendors of about Rs 29 crore. In February 2011, the Mosmetrostroy-Gammon India consortium was awarded 2 contracts for underground stations and 6474m long twin tunnels by CMRL for Rs 1,947 crore. These included the tunneling works from May Day Park to AG-DMS Office and from Saidapet to AG-DMS. Seven underground stations are also part of the contracts – Govt Estate, LIC, Thousand Lights, Gemini, Teynampet, Chamiers road and Saidapet

Picking up where Mosmetrostroy left, Afcons & Transtonnelstroy was recently hired by CMRL to finish the work between Saidapet and AG-DMS and even completed a breakthrough (see pics below) on July 8 at AG-DMS since only a couple inches where left to be bored in one direction.

Breakthrough at AG-DMS – photo: Chennai Metro, used under Creative Commons License (By 2.0)

Breakthrough at AG-DMS – photo: Chennai Metro, used under Creative Commons License (By 2.0)

The other tunnel on this stretch still has around 300 meters left to be bored and that in my opinion will take another month and a half to be done. As per various sources, Afcons might also be given the contract to complete the May Day Park to AG-DMS office section.

For more updates on Chennai’s Metro, check out the Chennai section of the TMRG!

– TMRG