News Brief
Chennai Metro Ropes In Third Contractor To Expedite Track Work Between Porur And Power House
The Chennai Metro. (Wikimedia)
To accelerate construction under its Phase II expansion, the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) has brought in a third contractor to speed up track-laying between Porur and Power House on Corridor 4 (Poonamallee–Light House), The Hindu reported.
While the 12.3 km stretch between Poonamallee and Porur is nearing completion and expected to be inaugurated later this year, progress on the next segment—from Porur to Power House has been slower due to a series of logistical challenges.
The corridor includes a technically complex 3.75 km double-decker viaduct between Alapakkam and Alwarthirunagar, which remains under construction.
According to officials, “wherever the viaduct had been built, they had instructed the contractor in-charge for laying the tracks to begin the work.”
However, delays from the first track-laying contractor prompted CMRL to engage a second contractor already working on the viaduct to take up part of the stretch.
“We are particular about finishing the Porur–Power House stretch soon as well. We don’t want the delay in laying the track to have an adverse impact on project completion. Hence, now, we have roped in a third track-laying contractor who has begun work along this stretch. We are monitoring the progress to ensure its completion at the earliest,” another official was quoted as saying.
Officials noted that terminating existing contractors and re-tendering would have caused further setbacks. Instead, engaging firms already involved in related civil work is expected to save crucial time.
Timely completion of this stretch is key for commuters, as it will enable seamless interchange between Phase II and Phase I networks at Vadapalani Metro Station.
