Chennai Metro Rail Limited’s (CMRL) Phase II expansion, remain immobilised deep beneath the city, held back by lagging station construction works. These sophisticated machines, each vital to advancing Chennai’s underground metro corridors, are waiting near Moolakadai, Perambur, and Mandaveli for essential station structures to be completed before they can break through, be dismantled, and move to their next assignments.
This delay is not just a construction hiccup but a significant setback for the city’s transport transformation plan aimed at reducing congestion and promoting sustainable, carbon-conscious commuting options. The issue traces back to a critical decision taken four years ago to cancel six tenders for underground station construction along Corridor 3, connecting Madhavaram to SIPCOT. CMRL officials cited unusually high and unreasonable cost quotes from bidders, prompting them to scrap the tenders and re-float them. This procurement deadlock cost the project invaluable time, delaying the construction of station boxes, which are essential for TBMs to pass through. Although the machines began excavation on schedule, the absence of completed diaphragm walls or station structures at strategic junctures rendered them idle, turning billion-rupee assets into stranded engineering marvels.
The locations where the TBMs are currently stuck tell a wider story of coordination challenges in large-scale infrastructure projects. Two machines from Madhavaram High Road now lie at Moolakadai, another pair that launched from Ayanavaram are halted at Perambur, and two more from Greenways Road are waiting to break into Mandaveli. CMRL officials stress that the problem isn’t solely rooted in the earlier tender cancellations. The construction sites themselves have posed multiple civic and logistical challenges—relocating underground utilities, addressing borewell issues, and securing permissions for traffic diversions in densely populated urban areas—all of which further slowed the pace of work.
Despite the grim optics of stalled progress, officials remain cautiously optimistic. With civil works being expedited, breakthroughs are expected to begin from next month. The first to move will be the TBMs that originated from Ayanavaram, which are expected to enter the Perambur station site in the coming weeks. The remaining four machines are also expected to complete their tunnelling missions before the end of the year, assuming no fresh disruptions impede the revised timelines.
The stakes are high. The Phase II project spans over 118 km and is envisioned as a transformative step in Chennai’s transition to a low-emission, multi-modal urban mobility ecosystem. It offers the potential not only to cut carbon emissions and decongest roads but also to redefine the city’s urban accessibility. However, delays of this nature cast a shadow over the project’s credibility, especially when they involve highly capital-intensive equipment like TBMs, which lose value the longer they lie dormant. For a city grappling with climate vulnerabilities, rising pollution, and inadequate last-mile connectivity, time is a luxury the urban commuter can no longer afford. It is essential that coordination between stakeholders—from civic bodies to transport authorities moves beyond red tape to realise Chennai’s vision of a greener, more efficient metropolis.
Also Read :https://urbanacres.in/pune-bridge-closure-metro-link-takes-shape/
Chennai Metro machines stuck underground due to incomplete station construction works
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