Chennai Metro Rail is said to be pulling out all the stops to get the next stretch from Little Mount to Chennai airport operational in six months.
According to officials of Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL), the civil work at stations along this stretch is in full swing and may be completed soon.
“Most of the track work in this corridor is over; the remaining work will also be complete in a few months. Following this, overhead electrical work will be taken up. We are hoping to launch the commercial operations in six months,” an official said.
Initially, the plans were to start operations only between Little Mount and Nanganallur Road station first and subsequently extend it up to the Chennai airport.
“We realised this will not make too much of a difference; so, we have decided to commence operations till Chennai airport itself,” an official added.
Also, they plan to extend the services up to St. Thomas Mount too.
“Soon after the works are complete, we will call the Commissioner, Metro Rail Safety, to conduct the safety inspection and once we get the approval, the services will begin,” he added.
The first service of Chennai Metro Rail between Koyambedu and Alandur, a distance of 10 km, was started only in July last after five years of construction work. Though the authorities wanted to initially operate from Koyambedu to St. Thomas Mount, they could not do so since St. Thomas Mount station was not complete by then. Currently, the passenger traffic between Koyambedu and Alandur ranges between 10,000 and 12,000 every day; Authorities think ridership will improve if the operations are extended.
