Almost every city in India has a metro train service now. One of them is Chennai. The metro rail has been operational in the Tamil Nadu capital since 2015. Currently, preparations are underway to finish Phase II of the network to improve connectivity in this key city in southern India.
The first batch of driverless coaches is on its way to Chennai Metro and the autonomous carriages are expected to arrive by August 2024. The second phase of the Chennai metro will cover about 118.9 kilometres. This will include the 11-kilometer stretch from Madhavaram to Retteri which will be completely operational by the end of 2026.
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Phase 2 of the project will have three new lines with a total cost of Rs 61,843 crore. This number is less than the earlier Rs 69,180 crore and officials had to make some cost-cutting moves. One of them was to do away with stations that were very close to each other. According to the Times of India, the stations, six in all, have been removed from the Chennai Metro Phase-2 project. The decision is expected to save nearly Rs 1,200 crore. The stations were planned to be located at Doveton Junction, Foreshore Estate, Natesan Park, Meenakshi College, Thapal Petti and at St Joseph’s College.
Now Phase – 2 will have a total of 128 stations out of which 48 will be underground. The project is estimated to be complete by 2026. Chennai Metro Rail Limited spokesman L Girirajan said that along with the short distances between the six cancelled stations, the one proposed at Thapal Petti in Madhavaram would have had a sharp turn that could have been a tough challenge.
The cancellation of the Thapal Petti station from the plan has led residents of Madhavaram to approach courts. T K Mohandoss, president, Palaniappa Nagar Civic Association, Thapal Petti, said in statement, “We heard through media reports that the station was dropped from the plan as they expect low footfalls. There are nearly 30,000 people living around the location where it was planned. It will be within walking distance for us and will also be easily accessible for Kodungaiyur residents. Otherwise, the nearest stations – Murari Hospital and Madhavaram Milk Colony – are nearly 1km away,”
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