Chennai Metro Achieves Major Milestone with Tunnel Completion for Poonamallee-Marina Beach Corridor
In a significant development for Chennai's urban transportation network, Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) announced on Friday the successful completion of tunnelling work between Lighthouse and Thirumayilai metro stations. This achievement marks a crucial step toward establishing a direct train connection from Poonamallee to Marina Beach, potentially revolutionizing commute patterns in the bustling city.
Technical Breakthrough in Challenging Urban Terrain
According to an official release from CMRL, the tunnel boring machine named Flamingo successfully completed the downline tunnel and achieved breakthrough on Friday. This follows the earlier completion of the upline tunnel between the same stations by TBM Eagle on February 9. The twin-tunnel section, constructed by Cemindia Projects Limited, spans an impressive 1,985 meters beneath some of Chennai's most sensitive and congested zones.
The tunnelling work navigated through particularly challenging areas including:
- The historic Lighthouse area
- The All India Radio campus
- The Russian Embassy zone
- Rosary Church
- The MRTS bridge
- The Buckingham Canal
Overcoming Geological and Engineering Challenges
CMRL officials highlighted the complex geological conditions encountered during the tunnelling process. The drive faced multiple challenges including rocky strata, shallow overburden, deepest overburden due to stacked tunnel configuration, and unforeseen gas pockets. These technical hurdles required sophisticated engineering solutions to ensure safe and precise tunnel construction.
The successful completion of this challenging section demonstrates CMRL's technical capabilities in urban tunnelling projects, particularly in densely populated areas with sensitive infrastructure.
Strategic Importance of Corridor-4
This newly completed tunnel section forms an integral part of the 26.1-kilometer Corridor-4, which will ultimately connect Lighthouse to Poonamallee Bypass. Once operational, this corridor will provide seamless connectivity between Poonamallee in the western part of Chennai and the iconic Marina Beach on the eastern coast.
The project represents a major infrastructure investment aimed at decongesting Chennai's roads and providing efficient public transportation alternatives. The direct rail link is expected to significantly reduce travel time between these important locations, benefiting thousands of daily commuters and boosting economic connectivity across the city.
With this tunnelling milestone achieved, CMRL moves closer to completing one of its most ambitious metro corridors, bringing Chennai residents one step nearer to enjoying convenient train travel between Poonamallee and Marina Beach.
