Chennai Metro Rail’s tunnel boring machine (TBM) named “Nilgiris” has successfully completed a 1.4 km tunneling journey, reaching its next designated stop, Madhavaram High Road. This achievement comes after nine months of deployment, initiated by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin at Madhavaram Milk Colony. As part of the Chennai Metro Rail Ltd. (CMRL) phase II project, the TBM passed beneath 300 houses without causing any structural damage.
Officials highlighted the sandy soil strata, which contributed to the smooth tunneling process. CMRL has deployed 19 TBMs for the phase II project, with two machines successfully completing breakthroughs so far. Around 50 such breakthrough events are expected as 23 TBMs are engaged in the project. The use of TBMs is a significant advancement in the expansion of Chennai’s metro network.