The crucial tunnelling of the underground stretch of the on-going Metro Rail project is set to begin this month.
Senior CMRL officials told this newspaper that the drive of the first tunnel-boring machine (TBM) will start from Nehru Park towards Egmore by July end. Assembling of all TBM parts imported from China is currently underway at Nehru Park.
All parts of TBMs meant for the May Day Park have also arrived at the work site. CMRL officials and contractors executing the work will jointly decide the date of launch of the tunnelling works at Nehru Park.
Diaphragm wall construction, one of the major preliminary works for tunnelling, is progressing well at Washermanpet, Mannadi, High Court, Chennai Central, Egmore, Government Estate, Thousand Lights, Gemini, Teynampet, Chamiers Road, Saidapet KMC, Pachaiyappan’s College, Anna Nagar East, Anna Nagar Tower and Thirumangalam stations.
Early last month, a tunnel safety programme was organised for CMRL top brass here in which contractors executing the Metro work detailed the safety precautions taken at various underground work sites.
To begin with, the 11 TBMs will operate at Nehru Park, Shenoy Nagar, Saidapet and Washermanpet.
The CMRL has instructed its contractors to undertake logistic operations after 10 pm in order to keep inconvenience caused to commuters at a minimum.
Trucks carrying excavated soil from the work sites and multi-axle trucks carrying pre-cast concrete segments on the elevated corridor of the project were also being operated late night, said officials of CMRL.