CMRL Begins Tunnelling Between Nungambakkam and Sterling Road Metro Stations

Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) has commenced underground tunnelling work to link the upcoming Nungambakkam and Sterling Road metro stations. This 500-metre stretch is a crucial segment of Phase II's Corridor 3, which will eventually connect Madhavaram to SIPCOT via Nungambakkam and Adyar, bringing major transit updates to these key Chennai localities.

The tunnel boring machines will drill primarily under Uthamar Gandhi Road, Valluvar Kottam Road, and a handful of buildings to connect the two stations. The Nungambakkam station is located on Uthamar Gandhi Road, near Wallace Garden and the upscale Khader Nawaz Khan Road, while the Sterling Road station is being constructed near the Good Shepherd Matriculation Higher Secondary School.

According to CMRL officials, the tunnelling work is expected to be completed by January next year. The Nungambakkam station itself is projected to open in a couple of years. Officials noted that because the soil in the area is mostly clayey, they do not foresee any major challenges and expect a fairly easy tunnelling drive.

This underground stretch is part of the larger 118.9-km Phase II network. Corridor 3 covers a total distance of 45.8 km. Uthamar Gandhi Road will also feature another Metro station on this corridor, named Anna Flyover Metro, situated near the Ispahani Centre.

Once operational, the new underground stations are expected to benefit thousands of commuters daily, as the route connects key areas filled with colleges, government offices, and commercial establishments.

However, the ongoing construction has resulted in traffic diversions and reduced road spaces, leading local commuters to demand that the work be completed at the earliest.

Shoba Mothinath, a resident of Wallace Garden, said that the completed Chennai Metro Rail network would be a boon for Nungambakkam residents, pointing to how the Phase I network has already benefited commuters, particularly those heading to the airport. She added that CMRL should finish the work quickly rather than drawing it out, urging them to complete the current phase before the monsoon.