CHENNAI: After being dogged by delay due to various reasons, the project to put up a tunnel between Greenways Road and Mandaveli by Chennai Metro Rail is finally at the verge of completion by October.

According to a report in The Hindu, the work project which was a part of the 45.8-kilometer Corridor 3 from Madhavaram to SIPCOT was originally slated to be completed in six months but was prolonged for nearly two years.

The delay was mainly attributed to challenges in relocating major underground utilities at the Mandaveli station site. Officials said that constructing the station's diaphragm wall required the diversion of four massive water and sewer pipelines. The process reportedly proved to be far more challenging than planned along with the further delay caused by the station contractor.

The milestone project is spearheaded using two tunnel boring machines named 'Noyyal' and 'Vaigai' with the former beginning its 750-meter journey in September 2023 and currently nearing a breakthrough at Mandaveli over the next few weeks. Officials also said that following this development, train services on the Greenways Road to Thirumayilai stretch will be launched as per schedule by 2028.