Chennai Metro Phase 2 project gets new casting yard
RAILWAYS & METRO RAIL

Chennai Metro Phase 2 project gets new casting yard

For Chennai Metro Rail’s (CMRL) phase 2 project, a casting yard is being set up at Muttukadu along East Coast Road (ECR). The yard has been set up to cast ring segments for building metro rail tunnels to control driverless trains across Chennai’s important areas.

The ring segments, which are to be cast, will go into tunnels on corridor-4 from Lighthouse to Power House in Kodambakkam and will cover around 10 km. Phase-2 tunnelling is expected to begin before the end of this year whereas the 118.9 km phase-2, including underground sections covering 48km, is expected to be operational by 2025-26 and a part of corridor-4 will open first by June 2025.

Tunnels are being constructed by putting together precast concrete rings. The yard will cast about 9,000 ring segments, which will go into the construction of the 10 km twin tunnels. Two stretches which are Lighthouse to Bharathidasan Road covering 5.15 km and 4.8 km Bharathidasan Road to Power House ramp with 10 stations and carry a four-year deadline.

According to the CMRL officials, tunnel boring machines will start arriving by August whereas the tunnelling is expected to begin in various locations by October end or the start of November. At least 23 tunnel boring machines will be operated across the phase-2 corridors for faster construction.

CMRL will use the ‘earth pressure balance’ method for tunnelling in which the cutters on the cutter head of the TMB rotate and drill through soil supplying force and pressure. It injects foam to soften the earth for drilling and then the machine holds up a few feet of earth in front of its face by applying pressure before moving forward.

For Chennai Metro Rail’s (CMRL) phase 2 project, a casting yard is being set up at Muttukadu along East Coast Road (ECR). The yard has been set up to cast ring segments for building metro rail tunnels to control driverless trains across Chennai’s important areas. The ring segments, which are to be cast, will go into tunnels on corridor-4 from Lighthouse to Power House in Kodambakkam and will cover around 10 km. Phase-2 tunnelling is expected to begin before the end of this year whereas the 118.9 km phase-2, including underground sections covering 48km, is expected to be operational by 2025-26 and a part of corridor-4 will open first by June 2025. Tunnels are being constructed by putting together precast concrete rings. The yard will cast about 9,000 ring segments, which will go into the construction of the 10 km twin tunnels. Two stretches which are Lighthouse to Bharathidasan Road covering 5.15 km and 4.8 km Bharathidasan Road to Power House ramp with 10 stations and carry a four-year deadline. According to the CMRL officials, tunnel boring machines will start arriving by August whereas the tunnelling is expected to begin in various locations by October end or the start of November. At least 23 tunnel boring machines will be operated across the phase-2 corridors for faster construction. CMRL will use the ‘earth pressure balance’ method for tunnelling in which the cutters on the cutter head of the TMB rotate and drill through soil supplying force and pressure. It injects foam to soften the earth for drilling and then the machine holds up a few feet of earth in front of its face by applying pressure before moving forward.

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

NHPC Plans to Raise Rs 20 Bn via Asset Securitisation in FY26

NHPC, India’s largest hydropower company, is planning to raise around Rs 20 billion through asset securitization in the upcoming financial year as part of its strategy to fund expansion projects. Although the specific assets for securitization have not yet been finalized, internal discussions are on-going. In the previous financial year (FY25), NHPC successfully met its monetization target by securitizing the free cash flow (return on equity) of its Dulhasti Power Station located in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir. This securitization, spanning the next eight years, generated total p..

Next Story
Infrastructure Energy

BHEL Consortium Bags Bhadla-Fatehpur UHVDC Transmission Project

Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL), in consortium with Hitachi Energy India, has secured a major contract from Rajasthan Part I Power Transmission, a wholly owned subsidiary of Adani Energy Solutions (AESL). The contract involves the design and execution of a 6,000 MW, 800 kV bi-pole and bi-directional High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission system. This system will facilitate the transfer of renewable energy from Bhadla in Rajasthan to Fatehpur in Uttar Pradesh, a key industrial and transport hub. Scheduled for completion by 2029, the HVDC link is a vital step in India's efforts to achi..

Next Story
Infrastructure Transport

PFC Sanctions Rs 35 Bn Loan for Chhattisgarh Rail Project

Power Finance Corporation (PFC), a state-owned financial institution under the Ministry of Power, has sanctioned a loan of Rs 35.17 billion to Chhattisgarh East Railway (CERL) for the development of the East Rail Corridor Project in Chhattisgarh. The loan agreement, amounting to Rs 35.16 billion, was formally executed on March 28, 2025. The East Rail Corridor Project is currently under construction and is designed primarily to facilitate the efficient transportation of coal from various coal mines located in the region. The corridor will play a crucial role in connecting these coal sources to..

Advertisement

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?