Commuters using the underground stretch of Chennai Metro Rail will continue to suffer without mobile connectivity as there has been a delay in the installation of mobile transmitters.
According to sources in Chennai Metro Rail, it may take another three months for the facility to be installed across the underground stretch from Thirumangalam to Nehru Park.
It takes nearly 20 minutes to travel from Thirumangalam to Nehru Park.
“The work on this process is going on for a while now. But it may take few more months to finish the installations and trials. We are trying to speed up the work as much as possible,” an official said.
This 7.6-km stretch, the third Chennai Metro Rail line in the city, was opened in May.
When the services began, authorities said, mobile connectivity would be made available in two months but it has been delayed now.
The problem is not exclusive to Chennai Metro Rail alone, commuters in Benguluru and Delhi Metro Rail also struggled with connectivity issues.
Commuters felt that important features such as these should also be planned alongside the construction of the stations and tunnels.
‘Prioritise connectivity’
A. Harinarayanan, a 30-year-old resident of Anna Nagar who travels to Adambakkam, said, “Such features should be there when they open the service itself. In an age when everyone owns a mobile, officials should have realised how important it is. We find it so difficult to travel without staying connected. Before they open the other underground stretches, they should ensure mobile connectivity from the beginning itself.”
Of 45 km of Chennai Metro Rail in the city, 24 km is underground and the remaining 21 km elevated.
