The Chennai metro rail project is on schedule and works worth Rs 2,000 crore are likely to be taken up this year, according to Urban Development secretary M Ramachandran. The first phase of the standard gauge metro from Koyambedu to St Thomas Mount is scheduled to be completed by 2013.
In an interaction with reporters here, Ramachandran said tenders for three viaducts relating to the elevated phase of the metro rail had already been awarded and for the fourth one was yet to be done.
“The prequalification process for inviting tender for the rolling stocks (trains) is on,” said Ramachandran, who is also chairman of Chennai Metro Rail Ltd. He expressed hope that land acquisition would be completed this year. “It (land acquisition) is not a major hurdle. The area of private land coming under the project is only seven hectares,” he pointed out.
Time schedule has been drawn up for various tenders like underground work, signaling, etc. “Budget worked out for the current year will be a little over Rs 2,000 crore,” he said. While international tenders were being floated for rolling stock, the company was trying to promote indigenisation of metro coaches.
