Chennai Metro will be environment-friendly

The Chennai Metro Rail Project, (CMRL), for which Centre had given its final nod, will be an environment-friendly mass transportation alternative for the rapidly growing metropolis, where the traffic volumes on the roads have increased enormously during the past several years.

Chennaities are sure to reach their destination in a much convenient way after the completion of the project as it aims at providing the public with a fast, reliable and economical mode of transport.

The approval for the Rs 14,600 crore, 45.05 KM project from the Centre comes at a time when the city is witnessing severe traffic congestion due to the large vehicular
population of over 26 lakhs (75 per cent comprises of two wheelers) whereas the total length of roads in city is only 2,847 KMs.

 To be completed by 2014-15, the project would be implemented with equal participation of the Central and state governments as per the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation pattern. 

The first annual report issued by the Chennai Metro Rail Ltd. said in the first phase of the project, two corridors have been decided to construct.

While the first corridor would run between Washermenpet and Chennai Airport (Via Anna Salai) covering a distance of 23.085 KM, the second would run between Chennai Central and St Thomas Mount (21.961 KMs).

For the construction of the project, the Centre signed a loan agreement with Government of Japan on November 2008 at Tokyo where the 59 per cent of the cost will be met by the Official Development Assistance loan of the Government of Japan. 

The Centre would contribute 20 per cent of the project cost while the remaining share of 21 per cent would be taken care by the state government, the report said.

The funding for the project has been achieved in a 'record time' by securing through Japanese government in 12 months and the Centre approving it within 14 months, whereas in other cities the entire process took more than two and half years, the report said.

Special efforts have been taken in proper integration with other forms of public and private transport whereby offering a 'park and ride' facilities for people who commute
through their vehicles.

Special initiative were also being taken in making people to park their vehicles and travel through Metro Rail to reach their preferred destination on time, Chennai Metro Rail Ltd. chief public relations officer S Krishnamoorthy said.

"Though the design for the project is under process, special measures are being taken in making people to park their vehicle and use the Metro Rail", he said.

He said the parking facility would not only include two wheelers but also accomodate four wheelers. He said whatever bottlenecks faced in the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation pattern would be 'removed' and special attention would be made for the convenience of public in this regard.

For the construction of the project, most of the land requirement would be met from Government lands, while if needed private land would also be purchased through a
negotiated process, he said.