By 2015, when the city’s metro rail network is up and running, users will have access to trains every 4.5 minutes in peak hours and every 15 minutes during lean hours. The trains will halt for about 30 seconds in each station.
“The trains will travel at an average speed of 34 km per hour. This means that it will take only 40 minutes for passenger to travel from Chennai Central to St. Thomas Mount, a distance of 22 kilometres,” an official at Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) said.
The four-car trains will have a capacity to carry 1,276 people and six-car trains will be able to hold 1,580 people. However, only four-car trains will be rolled out initially and later, depending on the need, six-car trains may be introduced, he added.
A single four-car train trip will be able to take the place of 16 buses, 300 cars and 600 two-wheelers. In 2016, the number of people using the station during peak hours is expected to be around 24,968 in corridor I from Washermenpet to Chennai Airport and 24, 324 in corridor II from Chennai Central to St. Thomas Mount.
Only some stations, including Alandur, Airport, Chennai Central and Washermenpet will have parking facilities. The other stations may not have this provision owing to lack of space.
“Although the stations will have granite flooring, vitrified tiles with a slight embossment will be laid for the visually impaired to find their way from the station to the train,” sources said.
A ramp will also be provided for the differently-abled,” he said.
While the ticket fares have not been decided on yet, sources indicated they could range between Rs. 8- 23.
“It is too early to talk about the fares. The decision will be taken only when the process nears completion, depending on the cost of bus fares and several other criteria,” he added.
Keywords: Chennai Metro Rail, metro rail technology, CMRL, commuting in Chennai
Chennai local bus service is the worst I have seen. Hope the metro trains will be of better use to the public.
Feeder service should be good and autorikshaws should be educated to use this opportunity for a greater turnaround at government specified rates. This will enhance usage and reduce burden on other means. People should also get used to covering some distance by walk, if otherwise fit, instead of present attitude of having everything at doorstep.
Hope the Metro, MTC & City officials work together to start buses to
the metro Stations from nearby localities. Only this will help
increase the patronage of the metro. With no parking space most
citizens will ignore the services.
Better planning could have made the Metro better - Some route &
station realignment would have reduced cost - like the Airport link
could have been via St. Thomas Mount instead of via OTA. That way the
problem of Elevated line running next to runway end could have been
solved and also OTA station will most probably be empty and sparingly
used like some stations on MRTS. Waste of money.
Even CMBT station should have been right above the parking lot/MTC bus
stand instead of keeping it at a corner and making people walk all the
way? Were planners trying to conserve the look of the CMBT when they
decided the location of the station?
It is surprising that only 4 stations will have parking facilities. So the dependence on autos and share-autos will continue for commute between stations and residences. Unless we integrate all forms of transport, there is not going to be a quantum leap in congestion in the city.
They should plan for parking facility at all the stations that are
located near residential locations. Only then will the usage be good;
otherwise the MTC should have good services to and from the station.
The news is exciting! Travel to airport and railway stations
with light luggage will be considerably cheaper than any other mode of Travel. At the same time, lot of time and energy could be saved. People can move freely without much tension. We only hope that this materialises in time. Most of us look forward to seeing this change.
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