CHENNAI: Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP), a long-term vision of desirable mobility patterns (people and goods) for a city, and light rail transit (LRT) were in focus at a quarterly review meeting at the Chennai Metro Rail administrative building, which was presided over by Union Housing Secretary Durga Shankar Mishra.
A top Chennai Metro Rail official told Express that the meeting of managing directors of Metro Rails across the country also discussed light rail transit (LRT), an upgraded version of tram, which is likely to be introduced in medium and smaller towns across India.
The meeting assumes significance after managing director of Chennai Metro Rail P K Bansal has gone on a study tour organised by the Institute of Urban Transport (India) and facilitated by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to look at LRT models in Portugal, Frankfurt and Stuttgart in Germany for replicating it in Indian cities.
Metro Rail sources privy to LRT models said that it is cost-effective and one has to study the feasibility and also whether it can attract ridership.
It is learnt that the Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) will also be looked into.
Sources said that the Union Housing and Urban Affairs secretary wanted all cities having Metro Rail to come out with a Comprehensive Mobility Plan which is different from the Comprehensive Traffic and Transportation Study (CTTS) earlier prepared for Chennai. While the focus of a CTTS is on the mobility of vehicles, the CMP concentrates on the mobility of all people. “After this there will be a feasibility report and then alternate analysis,” said a Metro Rail official.
This also comes in the wake of the state government looking at implementing mass transit system in Coimbatore. A comprehensive mobility plan had identified potential corridors and the actual technical option will be finalised through a detailed study.
Sources also said that `80,000-crore detailed project report (DPR) of the second phase of Chennai Metro will get green light after the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority notifies the new transit-oriented development policy of the Union government as part of the master plan of Chennai.
Meanwhile, the housing secretary, along with managing directors, inspected the Chennai Metro rail depot located at Koyambedu and took a Metro train ride to the Alandur Metro station and inspected inter-corridor arrangements. They also visited Nandanam Metro station and inspected the uniqueness of the Metro station as the station box of Nandanam underground Metro station is considerably smaller than other stations.
Rs 80K CRORE phase II DPR to get nod
Chennai: Sources also said that the `80,000-crore detailed project report (DPR) of the second phase of Chennai Metro will get green light after the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority notifies the new transit-oriented development policy of the Union government as part of the master plan of Chennai. Meanwhile, the housing secretary, along with managing directors, inspected the Chennai Metro rail depot located at Koyambedu and took a Metro train ride to Alandur. They also visited Nandanam Metro station and inspected the uniqueness of the Metro station as the station box of Nanda-nam underground Metro station is smaller than other stations