CHENNAI: In the next six years, Chennai Metro will stretch over a whopping 173 km and cater to 25 lakh commuters, with the completion of three corridors being built currently under Phase-II of the project at a cost of Rs 61,843 crore. The foundation stone for the second phase was laid by Union Minister Amit Shah via video conference from the Villivakkam Metro Station.
Phase-II will be the single-largest metro project to be implemented at one go in the country, covering about 119km. Unlike Phase-I, the second phase will be funded by the Asian Deveopment Bank (ADB), Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and New Development Bank (NDB).
Arrangements are also being made to integrate the Phase-II with other public transport modes, such as the MRTS and bus transport systems across 21 locations to ensure seamless connectivity. The Metro may also have a single ticketing system to travel using multiple modes of transport.
According to Chennai Metro Rail, Phase II of the project can carry 25 lakh passengers every day, accounting for 25 per cent of public transport trips, and help to transform Chennai into a world-class destination for investments. “A total of 23 tunnel boring machines are expected to be used in Phase II corridor,” said a CMRL official.
Enroute...
Corridor-3 (45.8km)Madhavaram to SIPCOT
Corridor-4 (26.1km)Lighthouse to Poonamallee Bypass
Corridor-5 (47km)Madhavaram to Sholinganallur