Excavation has begun at the tunnel boring machine (TBM) launch site in Clarinda, marking another step forward in the delivery of Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) East, with tunnelling equipment to be launched later this year.
SRL East will deliver 26km of twin tunnels and six new underground stations at Cheltenham, Clayton, Monash, Glen Waverley, Burwood and Box Hill.
TBMs will launch from Clarinda to dig the tunnels between Cheltenham and Glen Waverley, and from Burwood to dig the tunnels between Glen Waverley and Box Hill. Construction of the TBM launch site at Burwood is already complete, with the site ready for tunnelling to start this year.
Excavation has started on the eastern side of the Clarinda launch site, which will reach a final depth of about 19.5 metres. Excavation of the western side will begin soon, with crews finalising ground preparation works.
Between February and March, nearly 1,000 cubic metres of concrete was poured at Clarinda, with crews using a concrete mix designed to reduce carbon emissions.
Construction of SRL East from Cheltenham to Box Hill is continuing, with major construction underway and around 3,000 people already working on the project. Trains are expected to be running for passengers in 2035.
SRL East will connect major economic and activity centres including Monash, Clayton and Box Hill, deliver direct rail connections to Monash and Deakin universities for the first time, and support thousands of additional homes within walking distance of the new stations.
