Metro construction to go full steam mid-November, casting yard getting ready

Officials said the Sector 33 casting yard, located adjacent to Hero Honda Chowk, will serve as the central hub for precasting metro viaduct segments, U-girders, and pier caps required for the elevated corridor

Work on the Gurugram Metro is set to accelerate from mid-November once load testing of the initial 10 test piles is completed and the casting yard in Sector 33 becomes fully operational, officials from Gurugram Metro Rail Limited (GMRL) said on Friday.

Once operational, the casting yard and the 24-hour workforce are expected to significantly accelerate progress on the long-awaited Gurugram Metro corridor, which will connect key residential and commercial zones across the city. (HT Archive)

“The digging of test piles at 10 locations is underway. Once the load-bearing test results are received and meet the required norms, full-scale construction will begin, including the digging of piles that will support metro pillars,” said a senior GMRL official. “The casting yard work has also started, and by mid-November, it will be fully functional.”

The project’s contractor, Dilip Buildcon, has begun mobilising machinery and manpower at the site. To ensure continuous construction, the company is building residential accommodation for its workforce at the Sector 33 casting yard. The facility, spread over three hectares, will house about 1,200 workers, who will work in two shifts of 600 each. “By allowing workers to stay on site, we save on commuting time and costs, while maintaining steady productivity. This will help speed up construction significantly,” the official added.

The Gurugram Metro project officially started on September 3 after being inaugurated by Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini.

Soon after, the first test pile was dug in front of the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) office — a process that took nearly a month. The subsequent 10 test piles were then initiated along different stretches of the proposed alignment.

Officials said the Sector 33 casting yard, located adjacent to Hero Honda Chowk, will serve as the central hub for precasting metro viaduct segments, U-girders, and pier caps required for the elevated corridor. The large site has been designed to include casting beds, curing zones, a quality control lab, storage areas, and an equipment maintenance section.

“To facilitate the movement of large trucks and trailers carrying precast structures, we are also fixing the drain under the service lane near the highway,” the GMRL official said.

Once operational, the casting yard and the 24-hour workforce are expected to significantly accelerate progress on the long-awaited Gurugram Metro corridor, which will connect key residential and commercial zones across the city.