CHENNAI: If all goes according to plan, commuters will be able to use the Mass Rapid Transport System (MRTS) from Poonamallee to reach the airport proposed at Parandur. According to the Detailed Feasibility Report which was recently submitted to the state government, as many as 19 MRTS stations will be built on the 43.63-km stretch at a cost of Rs 10,712 crore. The report was submitted by Chennai Metro Rail Ltd Managing Director M A Siddique to Additional Chief Secretary of Special Initiatives Ramesh Chand Meena.
The MRTS will operate from Poonamalle to Parandur via Thirumazhisai and Sriperumbudur. The CMRL recommended the MRTS project considering the growth potential along the corridor owing to the proposed airport at Parandur and bus terminus at Thirumazhisai. The final number of stations and other details will be finalised following an extensive alignment study at the Detailed Project Report stage.
The land acquisition for Parandur airport is yet to be completed. Initially, the entire stretch will be an elevated one, and this will be incorporated into the Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) for the Chennai Metropolitan Area, a transport roadmap for Chennai till 2048.
The state government is also studying whether the Phase III metro should be a normal metro line or a metro lite. The CMRL has meanwhile recommended the extension of metro rail services from Koyambedu to Avadi; an elevated stretch of 16.07 km with a tentative 15 stations at an estimated cost of Rs 6,376.18 crore. It is also considering the extension of the existing Chennai Airport stretch, linking Wimco Nagar and Chennai Central stations to Kilambakkam, where a new mofussil bus terminus was recently inaugurated.