Metro line extension in North Chennai to cut down on travel time, ease traffic congestion - full details!
Posted on: 30/Dec/2020 12:35:24 PM
The 9 km extension line, which runs from Washermanpet to Wimco Nagar, covers the majority of congested areas in North Chennai. The stretch is expected to open for the public by January.
The Phase-1 extension of Chennai Metro Rail is expected to improve commuting in north Chennai by cutting down on travel time and reducing congestion on roads.
Trial runs are in progress and the stretch is expected to open for the public by January.
According to rough estimates from Google Maps, it normally takes about 30 to 45 minutes to cover this stretch by road during peak hours. The average speed of vehicles on roads here would also be around 30 to 40 km per hour.
However, the Metro, which runs at around 80 km per hour on average and with a stoppage-time of less than a minute in stations is expected to cover this stretch within 15 minutes!
Passengers from North Chennai can also reach Chennai Airport within just one hour whereas in normal times, it would take at least two-and-a-half hours by MTC buses and one-and-a-half to two hours by private transport.
Out of the 9 km stretch, about 6.6 km of the 9 km the stretch will be elevated while the remaining would be underground.
CMRL officials said that average daily estimates of vehicular traffic on the Thiruvotriyur High Road, where the Metro corridor also runs, could be around 1.5 to 2 lakh a day.
The official said, "The road is just a two-lane highway and when lorries and buses ply, it leads to cramping resulting in traffic snarls and delay. We expect many of these commuters to opt for the Metro."
According to field surveys carried out by CMRL, in 2011 about 3.18 lakh people plied from Washermanpet to the airport, while in 2016, it rose to 4.03 lakh. They have predicted that the numbers will go up to 5.42 lakh by 2026.
A source said, "There is a rise in people from north Chennai using the airport route. CMRL will cater to the growing number of commuters."
MRTS officials said many people in the working the sector were from north Chennai and it was found that they often visited Burma Bazaar, Koyambedu Market, Parrys and the airport.
Apart from connecting to Wimco Nagar, one of the furthest parts of north Chennai, officials said CMRL feeder services would offer Metro access to places farther away from- Minjur, Manali, Ennore, Ernavoor and Kargil Nagar.
Another official shared, "The phase-1 stretch also has a lot ofof schools along the Metro lane. We found that many students would also use the Metro once schools begin."
MRTS officials are hopeful of a good response once the line is opened but did not wish to comment on the monthly ridership targets in north Chennai, because of the pandemic.
