A consortium of global tunnelling leaders – Suburban Connect comprising CPB Contractors, Ghella and Acciona Construction – is the preferred bidder for the first Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) East main works contract, with TBMs on track to start digging in 2026.
The contract is for 16km of twin tunnels between Cheltenham and Glen Waverley – Victoria’s longest tunnels – is expected to be awarded by the end of the year.
A second contract will be awarded next year for the tunnels between Glen Waverley and Box Hill.
Up to 10 TBMs will be used to carve out the full 26km of twin tunnels for SRL East, with TBMs launching from Monash, Burwood and Heatherton.
Early construction of SRL East is now underway in Box Hill, Burwood and Heatherton, with works starting soon in Monash and returning to Glen Waverley and Clayton later this year.
Construction will create up to 8000 direct jobs and deliver 6 new underground stations between Cheltenham and Box Hill, slashing travel times and congestion and connecting people to key employment, health and education destinations in Melbourne’s east and south east. Trains will be taking passengers on SRL East by 2035.
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