With the foundation stone for Phase-II of the Chennai Metro rail obtaining been laid by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on November 21, work has kicked off on the Rs 61,843-crore expansion project which would see 3 new corridors with a combined length of 118.9 km getting constructed, in addition to the two corridors that are currently operational. The Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) expects to full Phase-II work in six years’ time.
While the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has authorized a loan of Rs 20,000 crore for the project, agreements with multilateral agencies such as ADB, AIIB, NDB are in the course of action of getting signed to meet full project expenses.
Corridor-3, a north-south line from Madhavaram to SIPCOT, would be 45.8 km in length—with 50 stations, of which 20 would be elevated and 30, underground—and hyperlink prime places like the IT Corridor, Adayar, Mylapore and Purasaiwalkam. Corridor-4, an east-west line that would be 26.1-km lengthy, would get started from Lighthouse and finish at Poonamallee Bypass, covering the industrial hubs of the city such as Nandanam, T Nagar, Vadapalani, Valasaravakkam, Porur and Poonamallee. Of its 30 stations, 18 would be elevated and 12, underground. Corridor-5 (47 km), from Madhavaram to Sholinganallur, would be an orbital corridor—with 48 stations, of which 42 would be elevated and 6, underground—connecting prime places like Villivakkam, Anna Nagar, Koyambedu, Virugambakkam, Ramapuram, Madipakkam and Medavakkam. To facilitate multi-modal connectivity, the lines would be integrated with suburban rail, MRTS and city bus services at 21 unique places.
“Phase-II of the CMRL project would be the largest Metro project to be implemented in one stretch. With the completion of these 3 corridors by 2026, Chennai would have 173 km of Metro network, carrying 25 lakh passengers per day and accounting for 25% of the public transport trips in the city. It would transform Chennai into a world-class destination for investments and economic activity,” CMRL has stated.
Tenders for civil performs of the project have currently been floated by CMRL. Official sources say that drawing a lesson from the Phase-I encounter, CMRL is taking care to avert any delays in the implementation of the Phase-II project. “While land acquisition is normally the reason for delay in such a project, it is proceeding smoothly in Chennai,” they say.
Close to 117 hectare of land necessary for the 3 corridors in the Phase-II project is getting acquired by land acquisition officers. To facilitate the course of action, the CMRL has also been working by way of a private negotiation committee. In truth, the landowners have evinced interest in promoting their land by way of this easier channel, rather of following lengthy proceedings below the Land Acquisition Act, the sources added.
Two Metro corridors with a total length of 45.10 km are operational in the city at present. The Blue Line hyperlinks Washermanpet to the airport, although the Green Line connects Puratchi Thalaivar Dr MG Ramachandran Central station to St Thomas Mount. The Phase-1 of the Chennai Metro project was the very first a single in India to make sure multi-modal connectivity, getting integrated to the city’s railway station, bus terminals and airport.
Work is at the moment underway on extending the Blue Line from Washermanpet to Thiruvottiyur (Wimco Nagar), a stretch of 9.051 km which would connect the northern portion of the city to the Central Business District Area. The Phase-I extension line is anticipated to be created operational by the finish of January 2021.