Chennai Metro Rail: Another 8.6-km stretch inaugurated

Over 260 trains to run each way every day, transporting six million people

Chennai Metro Rail's Corridor 1 was partially inaugurated today, with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister open the passenger service on the second elevated corridor, covering a distance of 8.6 km from the Airport to Little Mount Station. Others present on the occasion include M Venkaiah Naidu, Union Minister of Urban Development, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation and Information & Broadcasting, Seiji Baba, Consul-General of Japan in Chennai and Takema Sakamoto, Chief Representative JICA India Office.

In June last year, a 10.15 kilometre elevated section from Koyambedu to Alandur had been inaugurated, which is part of Corridor 1.

The maiden train on the newly opened stretch was also flagged off successfully.

 

In addition, the St Thomas Mount Metro Station, which is on Corridor II of the Chennai Metro Rail, is also being inaugurated. Operations on Corridor I, on the lower level of the Alandur Metro Station are also commencing on Wednesday.

The newly commissioned stretch covers a distance of nine km between Airport Station and Little Mount Station comprising of six important stations including Airport Station, Meenambakkam Metro Station, Nanganallur Road Station, Alandur Station, Guindy Metro Station and Little Mount Station.

The inauguration of this stretch will connect the Chennai International Airport, the fourth busiest airport in India.

And it is expected that over 260 trains run in each direction every day, transporting an estimated 60 lakh people each day after the completion.

With that the entire 20 kilometre elevated section of the Chennai Metro Rail Project, would become operational. Trains will run from Koyambedu to St Thomas Mount, connecting with suburban train services at St Thomas Mount and with Mofussil and other bus services at Koyambedu.

"Very soon, direct trains will be run on the loop line available at Alandur so that direct train connections can be provided from Koyambedu to the Airport, without having to change at Alandur," said the Chief Minister.

She added, the share of public transport in Chennai will be substantially enhanced with seamless integration of buses, suburban train services,

air services, metro rail and eventually the monorail.

The establishment of Metro Rail in Chennai was originally conceived of in 2003. Phase I of the Chennai Metro Rail Project which is currently under implementation cover a total length of 45 Kms, portion of which was inaugurated last year.

Work on the Chennai Metro Rail started in 2009 and original estimate cost was around Rs14,600 crore for the Phase-I, but it was increased increased to Rs 20,000 crore due to delay of over a year, Rupee depreciation, increase in construction and labour cost etc.,.

Of the total project cost 59 per cent will be JBIC's loan, while 30 per cent equity will be shared by Centre and state Governments equally. The balance will be mobilised through Subordinate Debt, of which five per cent from GoI and 5.78 per cent from Tamil Nadu.

Recently the Cabinet has approved for the Phase I Extension from Washermanpet to Tiruvotriyur / Wimco Nagar covering a further 9.51 km at a cost of Rs 3,770 crore.

Tamil Nadu Government is planning to expand the Chennai Metro Rail project along 3 corridors and an orbital corridor at an estimated cost of Rs 44,000 crore.