The 11th breakthrough has been achieved on Phase II of the Chennai Metro Rail project.
TBM Kalvarayan (S 1331) arrived in the south shaft of Perambur Station last week after completing the 867m drive from Ayanavaram Station. It was the seventh TBM breakthrough by Tata Projects on contract TU-01.
The drive between Ayanavaram and Perambur was a complex tunnel section with major challenges. TBM Kalvarayan passed beneath the railway tracks and platforms at Perambur Railway Station and densely populated areas, and navigated more than 32 bore wells along the alignment.
Tata Projects is constructing the first 9km underground section of Corridor 3 from Madhavaram Milk Colony to Kellys, deploying seven TBMs for the tunnelling. Tata Projects made the sixth breakthrough on August 29 last year when TBM Kolli completed the 903m drive from Ayanavaram Station to Otteri Station.
The 45km Chennai Metro Rail Phase I opened in 2019, and a 9km, nine-station extension was commissioned in 2022.
Phase II is a 118.9km network with 128 stations. It comprises three corridors: Corridor 3 from Madhavaram to Sipcot (45.8km); Corridor 4 From Lighthouse to Poonamalle Bypass (26.1km); and Corridor 5 from Madhavaram to Sholinganallur (47km). It is due to be completed by the end of 2028.
