The Chennai Metro Rail phase II project has picked up with the initial work being taken up on the underground and elevated stretches.
The phase II project is for 118.9 km with three corridors — Madhavaram-Shollinganallur, Madhavaram-SIPCOT and Light House-Poonamallee — will be built at an estimated cost of ₹61,843 crore over eight years.
According to sources in Chennai Metro Rail Ltd. (CMRL), the piling work has started between Poonamallee and Porur which will be an elevated section and the first part of the phase II project was expected to be opened to public in four years. “A few weeks ago, the contractor — a joint venture between Hindustan Construction Company and KEC International Ltd. — started the test piling work in one location and the piling work has begun along this stretch in places like Porur bypass, Iyyappanthangal and Poonamallee. Barricades have been placed in places for the piling work and some of the equipment and the piling rigs too were brought in last week,” an official said.
The work on Porur-Power House stretch would start later this month as the contractor was mobilising resources, manpower and getting the equipment. Until then, there would be no traffic diversion in the area, officials said.
Meanwhile, barricades had been put up in some parts of the city and preparation had started for a section of the underground work on the Madhavaram-Taramani stretch.