TBM Marutham of Chennai Metro Phase II in India completes 601-meter tunnel breakthrough

en.Wedoany.com Reported - Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) has completed a construction milestone in the Chennai Metro Phase II expansion project: the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) "Marutham" broke through at the north shaft of Villivakkam Bus Terminus Metro Station.

This breakthrough is located on Corridor 5. The corridor has a planned total length of 47 kilometers. CMRL deployed four TBMs—Kurinji, Mullai, Marutham, and Neithal—for tunneling operations on the 5.01-kilometer underground section, which includes 3.94 kilometers of twin-tube tunnels.

The tunnel drive undertaken by "Marutham" was launched on April 24, 2026, advancing from Villivakkam Railway Metro Station toward Villivakkam Bus Terminus Metro Station. The TBM completed 601 meters of tunneling and broke through at the north shaft of the station. This achievement is an important step in the underground construction plan for Corridor 5 and also advances the gradual completion of the corridor's tunneling works.

One of the most significant challenges in the tunneling operations was the need to pass beneath the five railway tracks of Villivakkam Railway Station. Because the alignment passes through densely populated residential areas, the tunneling operations also required a high degree of attention to ground protection. Despite the challenging conditions, CMRL still completed the breakthrough without causing disruption to the public or ongoing traffic movement.

The underground section of Corridor 5 includes five stations and two ramps, with a total tunnel length of 7.88 kilometers measured as single-tube tunnels. The underground works are being executed by Tata Projects Ltd. and are supported by JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) funding. This breakthrough is also the first tunnel breakthrough in Corridor 5 Package C5UG06 to pass beneath five railway tracks, after which the project completed 2.67 kilometers of tunneling.

Senior officials from CMRL, Tata Projects Ltd., and General Consultants attended the breakthrough event. On the CMRL side, Project Director Shri T. Archunan (IRSE), CGM (PP&D) Shri T. Livingstone Eliazer, CGM (T&EC) Shri S. Ashok Kumar, CGM (EC/UGC) Shri K. Gurusamy, and JGM (UGC) Shri Karthikeyan M attended. Representatives from Tata Projects Ltd. included Project Director Shri K. Ramesh and Project Manager Shri Natthapong Katkaew. General Consultants representatives, Team Leader Shri Tony Burchell and Chief Resident Engineer Shri Udayakumar A, also attended the event.

The breakthrough of "Marutham" is another important step in the underground construction plan for Chennai Metro Phase II. Completing the tunnel drive beneath five railway tracks and through densely populated areas without affecting public movement highlights the collaborative efforts involved in delivering complex urban tunnel infrastructure for Chennai's expanding metro network.