Tunnel below runway: AAI turns to Metro

New Delhi: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) on Monday approached Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to construct a six-lane underground tunnel link at IGI.
While AAI is keen that DMRC does this job because of its huge competence in drilling tunnels in Lutyens Delhi, the latter is learnt to have expressed reservations in taking up anything new as its hands are full.
However, a final decision is going to be taken by DMRC chief E Sreedharan since the runway tunnel is the first of its kind project in India and a hugely prestigious one. DMRC is already racing to complete the high-speed Metro link to the upcoming terminal, T3, before October.
‘‘We met a top DMRC director on Monday. Metro has a number of projects to complete and we were told it may be a little difficult to take up this work. On AAI chairman V P Agrawal’s request that Metro, being the most competent for underground tunnelling, take up this job, we were told this issue will be taken up with agency chief Sreedharan in a day or two,’’ said highly placed sources.
AAI is keen to begin work on the 1.5-km long link road with 343 metres being underground tunnel under the main runway — from Dwarka roundabout near domestic terminal to T3 — at the earliest. ‘‘The tunnel section will be passing under the section of runway that has the approach lights. So, work will begin as soon as the agency is finalized,’’ said Agrawal.
12/01/10 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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Categories: Airports Jan 2010, New Jan 2010