Tamil Nadu: Parandur will get many Metro stations

CHENNAI: The state government is considering building many metro rail stops near Parandur, where a 4,500-acre Greenfield airport is planned for the city.

To connect Parandur to the metro system, CMRL intends to add another 28 km or more to its projected Poonamallee - Sriperumbudur line.

It was determined during a feasibility assessment to build a metro rail line that Parandur alone needs numerous stations before the route finishes at the new airport. The government is aiming to build an aero city, which would include a township with hotels, educational facilities, aviation auxiliary units, and an aircraft MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul) centre.

There won't simply be an airport in Parandur; there will also be an airport city. As a result, we will need to offer many stations. The research is being done by our specialist. The initial report should be out by April, according to a metrorail official.

The research will evaluate the line's feasibility, alignment, train type (metro, metro lite, or mono rail), projected ridership, number of stops, and whether the line should run within the terminals. It will also estimate the cost. Unfortunately, these specifics cannot be resolved until the airport site's perimeter has been established.

As an expansion of phase-2 corridor-4 from Lighthouse to Poonamallee Bypass, the government had previously announced a line from Poonamallee Bypass to Sriperumbudur (26.1km). As the second airport's site was revealed in August 2022, Parandur was included.

In less than two hours, the line will enable users to reach T Nagar, Vadapalani, and other central locations.

An official said that because there would only be stops every 7 to 10 kilometres between Poonamallee and Parandur, the trains will run more quickly. It's possible that the train carriages and tracks will differ. Stations on the phase 1 and phase 2 lines are spaced every 800 to 1 km.

In addition, "reviewing the current connection of the site and proposing new connectivity needs to guarantee seamless and quick transport to the proposed airport," a consultant for the airport project who will shortly be named by Tidco.