CMRL reduces length and stations of Chennai Metro Phase 2 corridors

Chennai, India (Metro Rail Today): The Chennai Metro Rail Ltd (CMRL) has revised the length and reduced the number of stations of Chenaim Metro Phase 2 Project. Now, the length of the project has been reduced from 118.9 km to 116 km and the number of stations from 128 to 118.

Following the directive of Madra High Court, CMRL has published the revised route alignment map of Phase 2 on its website.

The Rs 61,843 crore Phase 2 Project of Chennai Metro will have three corridors. Corridor 3 from Madhavaram to SIPCOT, which earlier had 45.8 km, will now run for 45.4 km. Similarly, Corridor 5 from Madhavaram to Sholinganallur, which was 47-km long, has been cut to 44.6 km. But the length of Corridor 4 between Poonamallee and Light House remains at 26.1 km.

“While Corridor 3 from Madhavaram to SIPCOT will have 47 stations, Corridor 4 from Light House to Poonamallee and Corridor 5 from Madhavaram to Sholinganallur will have 27 stations and 44 stations respectively,” said a CMRL official said. The stations dropped from the Phase 2 project include Meenakshi College, Thapalpetti, St. Joseph College, Foreshore Estate, Doveton Junction, Natesan Park, Medavakkam and Kaliamman Koil Street.

“Quite a few stations like Medavakkam, St. Joseph College and Doveton Junction were dropped because they were too close to each other and that investment was not required. In other cases, we had to change the alignment because of other constraints. But since most of the areas in the city are covered, commuters should not have a problem,” another official said.

The Phase 2 corridors of Chennai Metro Rail Project is being funded by three foregin agencies Japan International Copoeration Agency (JICA), Asian Development Bank (ADB) and New Development Bank (NDB).