Tunnel Boring Machine “Flamingo” Commences Work on Chennai Metro Rail’s Light House-Thirumayilai Line

The tunnel boring machine (TBM) named “Flamingo” has begun its excavation work on the 1.96-kilometer underground line connecting Light House to Thirumayilai as part of the Chennai Metro Rail’s phase II project. The Light House Metro Rail station, expected to be the longest at 416 meters and 35 meters wide, aims to accommodate up to 3,000 commuters simultaneously.

Unlike other underground stations, the platform will be on the first level, while the concourse or ticketing level will be on the second level at the Thirumayilai station. To navigate challenging geological conditions and pass beneath old structures, including a 300-year-old mosque on Kutchery Road, “Flamingo” will tunnel through the area. This phase II project, which involves 23 TBMs working across three corridors, seeks to expand Chennai’s underground metro network.