Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) has won a Rs 1,134 crore order for the Chennai Metro Rail project (CMRL). RVNL,the government-owned agency for implementing rail infrastructure projects, received letter of approval (LoA) on January 10, 2023, for the construction of a 10-km elevated viaduct, nine elevated metro stations and a stabling viaduct under the Chennai Metro Phase 2.
The nine stations include Sholinganallur Lake, Ponniamman Temple, Sathyabama University, Semmancheri, Gandhi Nagar, Navallur, Siruseri, SIPCOT 1 and SIPCOT 2. The tender notice for the contract package was issued in March 2022, with an estimated cost of around Rs 957 crore.
The 45.8-km Chennai Metro purple line is among the three Metro corridors under Phase 2 project. The metro route connects Madhavaram Milk Colony to Siruseri Sipcot 2. It will have a total of 50 stations, which include 30 underground and 20 elevated stations.
Further, the CMRL has awarded a contract worth Rs 163.31 crore to Mitsui & Co Ltd, Japan for supplying 60-kg head hardened 1080 grade rails for the operation of driverless trains along the 52-km stretch under the Phase 2 Metro network. The deal was signed by T Archunan, director projects, CMRL and Hajime Miyake, senior general manager, Mitsui & Co Ltd.
The production of rails and testing procedures will commence in April 2023. As per an official release, the supply is planned in three lots from September 2023 to February 2025. The rails will be utilised on corridor 3 between Madhavaram and Sholinganallur and on corridor 5 from Madhavaram to CMBT.
See also: Chennai Metro: Route, cost, current network and latest update
