Chennai, July 20:
The Chennai Metro Rail Limited has achieved two key milestones in the construction of Corridor-3 (Madhavaram–SIPCOT) under Phase-2 of the metro rail project, marking significant progress along the Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) stretch.
Under Contract Package C3/EV-01, being executed by Larsen & Toubro, the project team has successfully completed 100% of the piling works between Nehru Nagar and Sholinganallur. A total of 3,066 piles have been installed along this busy IT corridor, overcoming logistical challenges posed by continuous traffic movement.
In another major development, CMRL has completed the casting of all 582 precast prestressed U-girders required for the elevated corridor. These include 30-metre-long girders for the viaduct and 17.5-metre girders for station structures, signalling readiness for the next phase of construction.
The precast components were manufactured at a dedicated 35-acre facility in Semmancheri, where peak production reached 40 girders in December 2024. Officials noted that meticulous planning across moulding, prestressing, and quality control ensured steady progress throughout the casting process.
Despite engineering challenges such as hard rock formations near Sholinganallur and the need to integrate metro stations with existing flyovers of the Tamil Nadu Road Development Company at key junctions like Thoraipakkam, the project maintained momentum. The team also recorded a peak piling achievement of 185 piles in October 2023.
Senior officials, including T. Archunan, C. Selvam, and Tony Burchell, marked the occasion at the Semmancheri yard by overseeing the casting of the final U-girder.
CMRL stated that the completion of piling and girder casting marks a crucial step toward the timely delivery of Corridor-3, which is expected to enhance connectivity, reduce travel time, and provide a reliable and sustainable public transport option along the OMR corridor.