Underground tunnelling on the Chennai Metro Rail in Anna Salai has resumed after a gap of about a month and a half. Tunnelling came to a halt after Russian company Mosmetrostroy, which operated the tunnel boring machines, abandoned the project abruptly.

Afcons, a part of the Shapoorji Pallonji group, was roped in by Chennai Metro Rail Ltd (CMRL) to finish the tunnelling between Saidapet and AG-DMS left incomplete by Mosmetrostroy. Mosmetrostroy stopped work over differences with CMRL on additional payment. Sources in CMRL said that Afcons may also be entrusted with the job of completing the tunnelling from May Day Park to AG’s Office station.

On July 8, Afcons successfully made the wall breakthrough for the tunnel at AG-DMS Office underground station – the first breakthrough in this stretch.

Afcons, in a joint venture with another Russian company Transtonnelstroy, has successfully completed a tunnelling project in the Poonamallee High Road stretch of the metro project.

Out of the total 2,868 m (in both directions) between Saidapet and AG-DMS, Mosmetrostroy left behind incomplete tunnelling of a few inches in one direction and around 300 m on the other.

Mosmetrostroy along with Gammon was awarded two contracts of design and construction of underground stations and associated tunnels amounting to ₹1,947 crore covering a total length of 18 km and 19 underground stations.

Out of the five packages, Gammon-Mosmetrostroy was awarded May Day Park to AG-DMS Office and Saidapet to AG-DMS to construct seven underground stations at Govt Estate, LIC, Thousand Lights, Gemini, Teynampet, Chamiers road and Saidapet along with twin bored tunnels covering a total length of (6,474 m).

The departure of Mosmetrotroy affected tunnelling while construction of the underground stations by Gammon is going on as scheduled, sources said.

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