Metro tunnelling work to resume soon on Anna Salai

The suspended tunneling work between Anna Salai and DMS could be resumed anytime soon with the awarding of the Rs 360-crore tunneling work to Afcons Infrastructure Limited on Friday. 

Two parallel running tunnels, measuring 2 km each, would be dug from Government Omandurar Estate and DMS by the new contractor. Originally a part of the Saidapet-Anna Salai stretch, which was awarded to the joint venture Mosmetrostroy-Gammon India limited. The CMRL terminated Gammon India Limited’s contract in July 2015 after the contractors repeatedly failed to meet the deadline. However, the date of resumption of the work and deadline for the just awarded tunneling contract is yet to be decided.

A senior CMRL officer, who confirmed the award of the contract, told DT Next that the two tunnel boring machines (TBM) remained idle for some time and their condition has to be checked before getting to the issue of fixing the deadline. “Contracts have been awarded to Afcons for the work from May Day Park to DMS.” 

Earlier, the same firm completed the left over tunneling works of the DMS-Saidapet zone, where the station works are being done by L&T. The CMRL, however, has not finalised the contract for completing the suspended works of Omandurar Estate, LIC and Thousand Lights stations.  

Meanwhile, CMRL has successfully completed the track laying works till Kilpauk Medical College (KMC) on the Koyambedu-Nehru Park stretch (approximately 10kms), which will be the first underground Metro route be commissioned in the city. “We will complete track till Nehru Park by next month,” the CMRL officer added.

If the CMRL sources are to be believed, Gammon India Limited may have agreed to settle its dispute with metro through arbitration. Gammon had moved the court against the contract termination and also staked claim for the idle machinery on some CMRL work sites. “They have agreed for arbitration. It will begin next month,” the officer added.