Metro tunnelling gets fillip with new contract

CHENNAI: Metro rail tunnelling work on a stretch under Anna Salai that had come to a standstill since May last year will soon resume as Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) signed a new contract with a construction company on Friday.
A senior metro rail official said the contract was signed with Afcons Infrastructure, an Indian construction group, to complete the twin tunnels along the remaining 4 Km stretch of the 9km between May Day Park and DMS.This is part of the 23.1 Km corridor that runs between New Washermenpet and the city airport.
CMRL has, meanwhile, floated separate tenders for the construction of three underground stations on the stretch, at Government Estate, LIC and Thousand Lights.
The twin tunnel stretch between May Day Park and Saidapet is about 18km. Officials said the work will resume in a couple of months, but the deadline for the completion of work is yet to be worked out. “The contractors have been given two months to prepare, procure equipment and bring them to the spot,” an official said.
Afcons had earlier taken up tunneling work between Saidapet and DMS after the construction came to a halt when Russian company Mosmetrostroy abandoned work.
In 2011, Gammon bagged the 1,947-crore contract along with Mosmetrostroy to design and construct seven underground stations for CMRL.