Chennai Metro TBM to Break Through at Thirumayilai on Feb 9 After 1.5-Year Delay
After a prolonged struggle, a tunnel boring machine (TBM) of Chennai Metro Rail Limited will reach Thirumayilai on February 9, completing a key tunnel link between Mylapore and Marina Beach for Phase II of the project.
The breakthrough follows recent approval from the Commissioner of Railway Safety, which was required as the TBM is passing close to the Thirumayilai MRTS station piles. Launched from Light House in September 2023, the tunnelling was delayed by about 1.5 years due to late shaft construction, repeated cutter head changes, difficult soil conditions, and temporary stoppages caused by a school building crack and a gas leak.
Once completed, trains are expected to run through this underground stretch in about two years, significantly improving connectivity in the Mylapore–Marina corridor.
