After challenges, Chennai Metro Rail’s tunnel boring machine Flamingo to reach Thirumayilai in September
The Hindu
Chennai Metro Rail's tunnel linking Light House with Thirumayilai for phase II project to be completed by September.
After negotiating a lot of challenges, Chennai Metro Rail’s tunnel linking Light House with Thirumayilai for the phase II project will be completed by September.
In three years, driverless Chennai Metro Rail trains will zip through this tunnel, carrying hordes of people from Thirumayilai and Kutchery Road to the popular tourist spot - Marina beach.
Chennai Metro Rail will create a massive network for a length of 118.9 km for the phase II project and the underground stretch connecting Thirumayilai with Light House forms a part of corridor 4 (Light House to Poonamallee). This corridor’s entire length is 26.1 km and the underground network between Light House to Kodambakkam via Thirumayilai and T. Nagar runs for nearly 10 km.
The tunnel boring machine (TBM) Flamingo departed from the longest station of the phase II project, Light House, and started boring in September 2023 and its target was to build a tunnel up to Thirumayilai via Kutchery Road, covering a distance of 1.96 km. Eagle, the second TBM, quickly followed Flamingo, building the second tunnel along this stretch.
At present, Flamingo is passing through Kutchery Road station and will reach Thirumayilai in five months. Eagle is currently waiting to enter the Kutchery Road station.
The machine Flamingo’s journey was rather tough and filled with numerous challenges including suspension of tunnelling work. The machine’s cutter head (one of the major components of a TBM) went through numerous interventions as well due to soil quality, sources said.
Initially, soon after crossing Light House, small quantities of methane and carbon monoxide emanated from the tunnel and the work had to be suspended for a brief while until the problem was addressed.
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