Good news for Chennaites!! - CMRL to operate metro trains every 2 minutes!!
Posted on: 13/Mar/2023 9:13:56 AM
The metro rail project has been implemented in Chennai to reduce the traffic congestion.
It is known fact that the first phase of metro rail works have been completed and on 52km distance as many as 52 metro trains are being operated on 2 routes namely airport to Wimco Nagar and St Thomas Mount- Central. At a mammoth cost of Rs 63246 crores, the second phase metro rail project is being implemented in Chennai for a distance of 118.9km along 3 routes.
The news that has come out now is that once the metro phase 2 works get completed in about 3 years, CMRL would be operating metro trains for every 2 minutes. The phase-2 metro train network would be designed for an operational frequency of 90 seconds.
It is noteworthy that for metro phase 2 CMRL has plans to procure 138 3car driverless trains for operating trains on 3 corridors like Madhavaram to Siruseri, Lighthouse to Poonamallee Bypass and Madhavaram to Sholinganallur.
According to a CMRL officer it was clear that in the beginning there are plans to operate metro trains for a frequency of 4 to 10 minutes on all the 3 corridors. He assured that when the footfall increases the metro trains would be operated with a frequency of 2 minutes. To cater to the increasing patronage on the phase 1, CMRL would be buying 6 car trains. The metro trains would be procured based on the study that has been initiated by the CMRL.
There are many complaints received from the passengers about overcrowding and the need for an increase in the frequency of the metro trains. Currently, everyday 2.5lakhs people use metro trains and the trains are being operated with a frequency of 5 minutes during the peak hours on the airport-Wimco Nagar line.
On the Central to airport and on the Central to Parangimalai lines trains are being operated with 10minutes frequency. The phase-1 network has been designed for a maximum frequency of 2.5 minutes and this was as per an officer from CMRL. He hinted that the maximum operated train speed was 80kmph.
