A consortium of CPB Contractors, Ghella and Acciona Construction has been awarded the first tunnelling contract for SRL (Suburban Rail Loop) East in Victoria, with the works valued at $3.6 billion.
SRL East will create 8000 jobs and deliver six new underground stations at Cheltenham, Clayton, Monash, Glen Waverley, Burwood and Box Hill.
The contract will see the consortium build 16 kilometres of twin tunnels between Cheltenham and Glen Waverley, with tunnelling set to get underway in 2026. Four TBMs will be used for this section, with each machine set to be powered by renewable electricity.
The contract will also include 55 safety cross passages between the tunnels, station boxes at Clayton and Monash and the construction of portals – the entrances and exits to the tunnels – at the stabling facility.
Related stories:
- Safety upgrades complete for Rangari Road
- Sydney Metro’s Sydenham Station nearing completion
- $100M to bolster infrastructure flood resiliency in WA
Construction is powering ahead across the SRL East corridor, with works underway in Burwood to build the TBM launch site. Most of the ground preparation works required to excavate safety cross passages between the twin tunnels will be managed underground,
The two other bidders for the Cheltenham to Glen Waverley Package will now compete for the second tunnelling package between Glen Waverley and Box Hill, with that contract to be awarded in 2024.
In a separate package of works, two consortia have been shortlisted to build the fleet of high-tech SRL trains, signalling system, and operation and maintenance of the SRL East network. This Linewide Alliance contract is expected to be awarded in 2025.