Fifty contractors are on site removing the chairlift to make way for its high-speed replacement.
Coronet Peak ski area manager Nigel Kerr said excavation had started for the 14 towers required to run the new lift line and concrete was also being poured to support the new towers.
The base station and haul rope of the existing Coronet Express had been disassembled and removed and over the next two weeks existing towers would also be taken out.
The top station was also being removed .
Its replacement would require more than 200mcu of concrete which would take some time because the truck capacity was limited to 3cum due to the steep access gradient, Mr Kerr said.
All vegetation being excavated was being stored and protected during construction and would be replanted once the lift was operational, in time for this winter.
