• Source:JND
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Chennai Metro Update: Chennai Metro services from the airport to Wimco Nagar faced disruptions on Monday morning due to a technical fault on the track. According to reports from Thanthi TV, trains heading toward Wimco Nagar and those travelling to Chennai Central are currently being operated only from Alandur metro station.

Meanwhile, the Chennai Metro Rail’s Phase II project is making steady progress, with the crucial underground tunnel connecting Light House and Thirumayilai expected to be completed by September this year. Once operational, the corridor will allow driverless trains to ferry passengers from the city’s heart to Marina Beach in under three years, as per The Hindu report.

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This tunnel is part of Corridor 4, which stretches from Light House to Poonamallee, covering a total distance of 26.1 km. The underground portion of this corridor, running nearly 10 km, links Light House with Kodambakkam via key stations like Thirumayilai and T. Nagar.

Work on the 1.96-km tunnel segment between Light House and Thirumayilai via Kutchery Road began in September 2023, led by two tunnel boring machines (TBMs) — Flamingo and Eagle. Flamingo, which began tunnelling from the Light House station, is currently approaching Kutchery Road and is expected to reach Thirumayilai in five months. Eagle, following closely behind, is waiting to enter Kutchery Road to construct the second tunnel.

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Officials revealed that the tunnelling process has faced numerous technical challenges. In the early stages, the release of gases like methane and carbon monoxide forced a temporary suspension of work. Additionally, due to the abrasive soil conditions, frequent replacements of cutter head components were needed. One major setback involved a 40-day operation to address a significant malfunction inside the tunnel.

So far, Flamingo has completed 1.3 km of the stretch, while Eagle has covered 1.2 km, with the project moving towards its final stages despite earlier disruptions.