Coimbatore Metro rail chugs closer to reality, DPR nearing completion

According to sources, Coimbatore Metro Rail will cover 139 and the project will be executed in three phases by CMRL.
A stakeholders meeting presided over by CMRL
A stakeholders meeting presided over by CMRL

COIMBATORE: The State government has approved the feasibility for establishing a Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) in Coimbatore, and the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for Phase 1 of the project is under finalization by a private consultancy firm Systra & Rites Ltd.

According to a press release, a meeting of stakeholders of the Coimbatore Metro Rail project, was held in the collectorate on 1 April. It was presided over by the Managing Director of Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) and Principal Secretary, Special Initiative Department, Government of Tamil Nadu, Pradeep Yadav, where the consultant gave a presentation on the proposed routes. District collector Dr GS Sameeran, CCMC Commissioner Raja Gopal Sunkara, and senior CMRL officials were present at the meeting.

According to sources, Coimbatore Metro Rail will cover 139 and the project will be executed in three phases by CMRL. The first phase will be for 44 km on the Avinashi road until Karumathampatty and Sathyamangalam road until Valiampalayam Pirivu from Ukkadam.

The second phase and third phase work will start after a detailed study and due approvals which will be done simultaneously. A further extension from the existing plan of 139 km and suggestions to include new areas will be taken under study. The proposed metro will run parallel to the locations in which flyovers are being built and the required land for the same will be acquired, sources added.

Stations will feature parking facilities, escalators, lifts, a foot overbridge to cross the road and other facilities. There is also scope to build stations under Public-Private Partnership in preferred locations like the airport, railway station, bus terminals, large institutions, commercial malls and many other places.

Details of the location will be shared by CMRL with respective departments soon and made public. Sources said the project is to likely to cost Rs 6,800 crores.

Timeline

2011 - Government of India announced metro rail projects for Tier II cities, including Coimbatore

2013 - Metroman E Sreedharan surveyed and announced Metro rail as a suitable transport for Coimbatore in

2017 -CMRL appointed as the Project Executing Agency (PEA). Bids for feasibility study and DPR were called for in 2 stages,

2019, November - Consortium of Systra MVA Consulting (India) Ltd. – RITES Ltd. submitted feasibility report for a 144 km master plan to CMRL

2021 - Tender for Topographical survey awarded. Chennai-based Prime Meridian Surveys Private Limited conducted the first phase of the survey, The survey was conducted in 400 places on the three proposed corridors – Ukkadam – Kaniyur, Thanneerpanthal – Karanampettai and Ukkadam – Vellalore.

2021, October - Survey completed

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