Plans afoot for 12-storey tower at Thirumangalam that will have Chennai Metro trains passing through

The novel concept, drawn from China, will have a station and platforms on the fourth floor of the proposed building, with trains running through it, CMRL officials said

CMRL has 3.14 acres in and around Thirumangalam station that it wants to develop. File

Chennai Metro Rail Ltd (CMRL) has begun the preparatory work to chalk out a detailed plan to build a tower at Thirumangalam, wherein trains will zip through this building.

Across the 116 km phase II network, Chennai Metro Rail has had plans to bring in transit-oriented development, to encourage more people to use the mass rapid transport system, and also increase their revenue. As part of this plan, one novel concept, drawn from China, will be implemented in the city at Thirumangalam station. CMRL will build a 12-storey building; the fourth floor of the building will house the station and platform, and trains will run through it.

According to officials of CMRL officials, they will soon rope in a consultant to develop a detailed plan to build this project. “We have a total area of 3.14 acres in and around Thirumangalam station and apart from this 12-storey building project, the consultant will also recommend what can be built on the other land parcels. We have called for tenders now, and the consultant will be in place in a couple of months,” an official said.

Apart from Thirumangalam, CMRL is planning transit-oriented development at a host of other stations in the phase II project. Wherever land parcels are available, CMRL wants to construct either a mall, office spaces or retail outlets and integrate these facilities with the stations using walkways or skywalks.

At Koyambedu and Alandur too, the CMRL is planning these large-scale developments. “At Thousand Lights, we have 1.78 acres and we have been planning to build a plaza. Both the stations and the plaza will be connected by walkways. While this is the initial plan, we will have another consultant for this project too, who will work on it and give us further recommendations,” the official added.

In other stations like Madhavaram, Sembium, Ayanavaram, Otteri, Perambur, Purasaiwalkam, Chetpet, Sterling Road, Nungambakkam, Roypettah, Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai, Thirumayilai, Adyar, Velmurugan Nagar, Shastri Nagar and Srinivasa Nagar, CMRL will bring in a consultant to examine the commercial potential of the land available near the station and suggest how the proposed developments could be connected to the stations.