CHENNAI: Chennaiites may realize their dream of travelling by the Metro Rail on the 23-km stretch from Egmore to Airport by December 2015-end provided all clearances are in place, according to Chennai Metro Rail.
Celebrating the completion of the first 5-km underground tunnel from Shenoy Nagar to Koyambedu, chief general manager (underground construction) V K Singh told Express that the work on the underground stretch has commenced at a rapid pace and the 9-km stretch between Egmore and Koyambedu would be ready by December 2015.
“It will be ready for commercial operations by the end of December 2015 provided we get all safety clearances by then,” said Singh as the tunnel boring machine brought down the cement slab linking Shenoy Nagar with Koyambedu amidst cheers from the Metro Rail workers. Singh said the trial run in the underground stretch between Egmore and Koyambedu would begin by the end of June or July 2015. The work on tunnels between Shenoy Nagar and Kilpauk Medical College are likely to be completed in the next 10 days by L&T, while that between Kilpauk Medical College and Nehru Park will be completed by February. Of the total 36-km underground stretch to be done in five phases, work on 25 km has been completed, he said.
R Ramanathan, director of projects, CMRL, said the
10-km elevated stretch from Koyambedu to Alandur will be ready by January-end or February. He said the stretch between Little Mount and Airport and Alandur and St Thomas Mount would be ready by December 2015. This would mean the stretch between Egmore and Airport would be ready by December next year. full coverage: P3