CMRL commissions multiple tunnel projects

Shortly after completing about half a dozen tunnels at central metro junction, the biggest transit hub for metro rail in the city, Chennai metro rail has decided to take up more such projects very shortly. The Central Metro station is going to be a major hub of six tunnels connecting two corridors of phase-1 at two different levels. One of two tunnels, which will connect Central Metro to St Thomas Mount at a depth of 18 metres, has already been completed. Four tunnels that will connect Washermenpet with Chennai Airport via Central Metro at a depth of 28 metres have also been completed. Two of them will link Washermenpet with Central metro and the other two will connect Central to Government Estate under the Cooum, said official sources, adding that work at the two-level station is proceeding in full-swing and CMRL will begin laying tracks by March 2017. After its commissioning, commuters coming from north Chennai can go to Koyambedu with a single ticket by simply switching corridors at the Central Metro station and those heading from St Thomas Mount or Koyambedu will have to walk to the lower deck of the station to take a train anywhere up to Washermenpet, they added.