Centre eyes Japanese support for Rs 5,740 cr TN mono rail

JICA in turn seeks detailed project report

Union minister of state for Commerce & Industry, E M Sudarsana Natchiappan, said the Centre had initiated a dialogue with Japan to support the monorail project in Tamil Nadu.

The minister said the Centre had requested the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica), a governmental agency of Japan, to fund the project.

“They (Jica) have asked for a project report, for which, we asked the Tamil Nadu government to prepare and submit a detailed project report. It is now with the state to fast track the project,” said Natchiappan.

For funding the Rs 5,740-crore monorail project in Chennai, Tamil Nadu  has approached the Centre.

It may be noted, the Japanese agency is funding the Rs 20,000-crore Chennai metro rail project, which is the state’s biggest infrastructure project.

The minister was talking on the sidelines of an event, where  Kamarajar Port signed agreements with Indian Oil Corporation Ltd, Adani Ports and SEZ Ltd, worth around Rs 5,782 crore.

Recently, state Metropolitan Transport Corporation (Chennai) Ltd (MTC) had called for the request for qualification (RFQ) to bring out a detailed scope of work, eligibility criteria, feasibility report, ridership estimation report, MTC bus passenger data and others.

The estimated length of the project is 20.68-km and would be taken up through public, private partnership (PPP); on a design, build, finance operate and transfer (DBFOT) basis.

The project will run between Poonamallee to Kathipara, with a link from Porur to Vadapalani.

The route course is Poonamallee-Karayanchavadi-Kumananchavadi-Iyyanapthangal-Sri Ramachandra Medical College-Porur Lake-Porur-Mugalivakkam-Ramapuram-Nandhambakkam-Kathipara Junction and a link from Porur Lake to Arcot Road-Valasaravakkam-Alwar Thirunagara-Virugambakkam-Vadapalani.

The Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK, after coming to power in 2011, announced it would implement a Rs 16,650-crore monorail project for Chennai.

The project will be implemented for the entire distance in a restructured form. The work will be taken up initially in the first three corridors and subsequently, the work will be taken up in the fourth corridor.

On the advantages of the project, the state administration said the land acquisition is very minimal. Monorails of the latest technology are safe, occupy less than a square metre space when columns are located on central median.  These are easy to construct, quick to execute, cause minimal disruption during construction, aesthetically pleasing, no requirement of grid power for the operation, environment-friendly and cost efficient. They have the advantage of branching and serving interior areas and are not confined to a corridor.

Since the project would be implemented through the DBFOT basis, there is no financial commitment from the state.