Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) has decided to scrap six metro stations from its phase-2 project, which is expected to save nearly 1,200 crore. The plan was to construct six stations underground at Doveton Junction, Foreshore Estate, Natesan Park, Meenakshi College and Thapal Petti, and one elevated station at St Joseph's College. The decision to scrap these stations was taken on account of the fact that they were located less than 750m from the next stop.
Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) has decided to scrap six metro stations from its phase-2 project, which is expected to save nearly 1,200 crore. The plan was to construct six stations underground at Doveton Junction, Foreshore Estate, Natesan Park, Meenakshi College and Thapal Petti, and one elevated station at St Joseph's College. The decision to scrap these stations was taken on account of the fact that they were located less than 750m from the next stop.
The 118.9km phase-2 project, which includes 128 stations, 48 of which are underground, is expected to be completed by 2026. Metro stations are generally planned for every 1km to provide easy access for commuters as well as for emergency evacuation purposes.
According to L Girirajan, spokesperson for CMRL, the proposed station at Thapal Petti in Madhavaram would have had a sharp curve, making it challenging to maintain. He added that the removal of Thapal Petti and Meenakshi College would save the company around 450 crores.
The six stations that have been scrapped are on two different corridors. The stations at Thapal Petti, Doveton, and St Joseph's College are on the Madhavaram Milk Colony-Siruseri Sipcot corridor-3, while the stations at Foreshore Estate, Natesan Park, and Meenakshi College are on the Lighthouse-Poonamallee Bypass corridor-4.
While the Madhavaram Milk Colony and Murari Hospital stations are 980m and 684m away from the Thapal Petti station, respectively, the Meenakshi College station is 725m and 1,040m away from the Kodambakkam and Power House stations. On OMR, the St Joseph's College station is 827m from Sathyabhama University and 805m from Semmencheri.
The Natesan Park station, which was planned near a school on Venkatanarayana Road in T Nagar, is around 632m from Panagal Park metro and 625m from Nandanam metro. The Lighthouse station at Marina Beach is 786m away from Foreshore Estate station, which in turn is 958m away from the next station at Kutchery Road.
Although some commuters may be inconvenienced by the removal of these six stations, it is a cost-saving measure that will benefit the project as a whole. The decision to remove these stations was not taken lightly, but it was necessary to ensure the success of the project. The CMRL is committed to providing a safe, efficient, and affordable transportation option for the people of Chennai, and this decision is a step towards achieving that goal.
Advertisement
Facebook
Whatsapp
