Melbourne Metro Railway Project
December 20, 2017

Melbourne’s rail network is carrying more passengers than ever before, the fastest growing train lines are rapidly approaching capacity and many peak period services suffer from chronic overcrowding and unreliability. Demand is predicted to exceed capacity of current rail services during peak times and exacerbate overcrowding and delays.

Melbourne Metro is to provide a substantial uplift in capacity across the rail network. The infrastructure proposed for construction as part of Melbourne Metro: 


  • Twin nine-kilometre rail tunnels
  • Five new underground stations, including two in CBD
  • A new transport interchange at Domain
  • Two rail tunnel portals (entrances)


Balpara's Surveying Involvement:


  • Determining the exact location of a new pit to ensure excavation will avoid all existing assets.
  • We set out major electrical pits being built and then survey the topography around them. These pits are constructed using 600mm diameter re-enforced concrete piles and their footprint can be up to 6 by 6 metres wide and 4 metres deep.
  • Preparation of an office based assessment of the previously surveyed locations of all existing electrical conduits and other assets already in the ground.
  • Completion of site visit and provision of millimetre accurate set-out point to allow civil crews to cut the exact design location of the new pit in the ground.
  • Establishment of fixed survey control points at strategic locations around the new excavation which are to be monitored daily throughout construction.
  • Monitoring of the control points to the nearest millimetre to record any movement or lack thereof in the ground.


The Balpara results are supplied to Citipower by Daly’s as evidence that they employ the highest standards in construction and that the surrounding areas are not affected by their works.


Balpara’s Design & Modelling Involvement:


A new station in Domain is strategically placed to ease pressure on the St Kilda Road/ Swanston Street tram corridor and will significantly improve access to key Melbourne landmarks such as the Shrine of Remembrance and Albert Park. Construction of a temporary power substation on the southern end of Edmund Herring Oval, close to Domain Road was required, which resulted in Balpara’s involvement. This substation will provide power for the tunnel boring machines required to build the Metro Tunnel.


Balpara involvement across all locations:


  • We perform the detailing for all relocations and newly installed assets (22 & 66 kV UG poles and cable installations)
  • We survey new cable pits - location and monitoring


Arden | Dalys Construction


  • 66kV Pole installation
  • New 22 & 66kV UG cable installations
  • New 66kV Pole – 3D modelling & drafting


Parkville | Dalys Construction


  • Relocation of all electrical cables at Grattan St & Royal Parade
  • Location & monitoring of new cable pits


CBD North | Dalys Construction & Lendlease


  • Relocation of exixting oil-filled 66kV cables
  • Relocation of 22kV cables


CBD South | Powercables & Lendlease



  • Relocation of substation
  • Surveying of cable pits


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