One common feature in every city is its
bustling traffic – Chennai bustles at seams. The metropolis is growing rapidly
and the traffic volumes on the roads have been increasing enormously. There is always need for effective means of
communication – Metro rail is one such initiative. It is a rail based rapid transport system aimed at
providing the people of Chennai with a fast, reliable, convenient, efficient,
modern and economical mode of public transport, which is properly integrated
with other forms of public and private transport including buses, sub-urban
trains and MRTS.
State Govt has created a Special Purpose
Vehicle (SPV) for implementing the Chennai Metro Rail Project. 2 corridors have been proposed. The first one running from Washermanpet to
Chennai airport through – Broadway, Central, Govt Estate, Spencers, Gemini,
Saidapet, Guindy…… the other running from Chennai Central to St Thomas Mount
through Vepery, KMC, Aminjikarai, Shenoynagar, Thirumangalam, Koyambedu,
Vadapalani. The portions of Corridor-1
with a length of 14.3 kms. fromWashermanpet to Saidapet, and Corridor-2 with a
length of 9.7 kms. from Chennai Central to Anna Nagar 2nd Avenue will be
underground and the remainder elevated.
To us it is novel though, certainly not the first for the
Nation. Calcutta was the first to
possess one – in Mumbai, it is Govt-Private joint-initiative and in Delhi,
there are so many lines : Red line; Yellow line; Blue Line and another Airport
Metro Express line, which is more sophisticated. 29th June 2015 – was a momentous day for
Chennai, as its residents got a feel of metro in their own land. Chennai has
local trains running from Central to Arakonam; Central to Ponneri;
Chennai Beach to Tambaram EMU line and MRTS from Beach to Velachery – thus far
MRTS was far good ~this Metro line is far superior, exceeding expectations of
most commuters.
A distance of 10 Kilometers from Koyambedu to
Alandur, the first phase of the much anticipated multi-crore Metro Rail chugged
off with Chief Minister Ms.JJayalalithaa flagging off the inaugural service
from the state secretariat through live video. The entire route
is on an elevated structure covering a distance of 10.15 km, with stations at Alandur,
Ekkathuthangal, Ashok Nagar, Vadapalani, Arumbakkam and Koyambedu besides the
yard at the last stop.
The first train having four coaches, left at 12.15
pm from Alandur to Koyambedu and was driven by A Preethi, a 28-year-old
diploma holder in engineering from Government Dharmambal Polytechnic
College here.The flower decked sprawling and swanky Alandur metro station, the
biggest in Chennai, was brimming with activity, with enthusiastic passengers eager
to board the first train. The luxury
metro train covers the stretch of 10 in just 19 minutes which includes the
stoppage time at six stations. By road, when traffic is smooth, the same
distance can be covered in 45 minutes. During peak hours it may get doubled.
Unlike MRTS which has lesser frequency – the
service runs every 10 minutes and each train can carry upto to 1,276
passengers. There is no comparison
between Metro and other suburban services – this is an airconditioned train;
stations are luxury with facilities – and the minimum fare is Rs 10; maximum
fare is Rs 40. In MRTS – ticket from Beach to VElachery costs Rs.5 and
that perhaps is one of the reasons for poor maintenance.
I thought for the cosy comfort, the fare was
reasonable as one would spend much more for travelling lesser distance in an
auto-rickshaw. ; but this report in Times of India of date titled ‘As novelty wanes, metro patronage dips to one-third’-
does not sound a happy report for the Chennai traveller.
Times news network reports that 4 months after metro rail
rolled out between Alandur and Koyambedu, average patronage has settled down at
8,000 people on weekdays and 10,000 on weekends.This is a huge dip from the
25,000 commuters it attracted every day for the first two months.As the number
of joyriders dropped, Chennai Metro Rail Ltd started focusing on consolidating
regular commuters. It started issuing monthly parking cards to commuters and
made parking space at the Koyambedu, Arumbakkam, Ashok Nagar, Ekkattuthangal
and Alandur stations. A one-month parking card for two-wheelers costs `250; the
monthly card for cars is priced at `500. People can leave their vehicles
overnight at the station for an additional `100 to `200.
“We had good response from commuters. Many have started
buying the cards soon after it was introduced a few days ago,“ an official
said. On holidays, the trains attract around 12,000 people. “We had 20,000
passengers on a recent long weekend. But the numbers have settled down. They
are not as high as the 25,000 people on a weekday and 75,000 people on a
weekend in July and August,“ said a senior official of metro rail. “The
stations and trains are not crowded during peak hours, but we are seeing a
regular clientele. We are trying to make the services attractive. The services
are not a hit among commuters because it is but a short 10km stretch that does
not link major hubs on 100 Feet Road. People who live and travel between
Koyambedu and Alandur are regular metro users. Most people use share autos and
buses on the route and for travel beyond the point covered by metro rail.
Metro rail hopes that the patronage of the line will go
up when the Koyambedu-Shenoy Nagar line opens next year. This will help people
travelling from Poonamallee High Road to 100 Feet Road.As the commuter numbers
have settled, CMRL will soon implement measures to boost patronage. These
include roping in share autos and small buses to connect the neighbourhoods
around stations.
Chennai
Metro is cosy comfort and a good facility and it is for the Chennai residents
to useit and ensure that it is available
for longer routes and on higher frequency.
The waning away of commuters is not a good sign ~when there is less
crowd, the management might think to reduce the frequency ~when frequency
reduces, more will go away ! – hopefully, when the line gets extended, more
commuters would come.
With regards – S. Sampathkumar
13th Oct 2015.
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