Chennai Metro Rail to invest Rs.400 Cr for second phase

Chennai, Feb 13: The Chennai Metro Rail is planning to invest Rs 400 crore to start work on its second phase by floating tenders for three consultants to design civil structures and prepares drawings for execution of civil, architectural, track and other works.

Official sources told Express that the decision was taken during a high-level meeting wherein tenders will be floated to design the alignment of both elevated and underground structures as well as proposed Madhavaram depot.

Metro Rail will fund the project. The cost will be adjusted once the project is approved. Similarly, Metro Rail will also start the geo-technical investigation for the second phase and tenders in this regard will be floated soon, sources added.

Meanwhile, it is learned that only 50 percent of the second phase of Metro Rail will be initially funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency and tenders are likely to be awarded in the financial year.

Metro Rail had already submitted a revised Detailed Project Report (DPR) seeking Rs 80,000 crore for implementing the second phase which will have three corridors. These include Madhavaram-Siruseri, Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus (CMBT)-Lighthouse and Madhavaram-Sholinganallur.

The proposal is being revised to extend the rail line from Lighthouse near Marina Beach to Poonamallee on the city’s outskirts at an additional cost of Rs 3,850 crore.