CHENNAI: Trains will soon take you to the ancient city of Mahabalipuram, if the government takes the proposal made in Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) for Chennai Metropolitan Area (CMA) in letter and spirit. The CMP has proposed a 149-km railway line to the rapidly developing Mahabalipuram from Ennore.
As per the mobility plan, which is prepared by Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA) and made public on Tuesday, a new suburban rail corridor has been identified along the Chennai Peripheral Ring Road (CPRR) between Ennore/Kattupalli Port - Singa Perumal Koil - Mahabalipuram (towards Pondicherry, Cuddalore).
The CMP also proposes another suburban rail corridor linking Sriperumbudur and Kancheepuram for a distance of 32.6 km.
The proposal aligns with the state government’s aim to develop Mahabalipuram as the sixth satellite town near Chennai, after Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Thiruvallur, Thirumazhisai and Minjur, and 25 revenue villages around the city of sculpture have been notified to be included in the satellite town.
“Suburban rail is envisaged to provide rapid connectivity between the towns of the expanded CMA and old CMA. It will also supplement metro systems by providing high-capacity, high-speed coverage through old CMA areas. The suburban rail strategy focuses on enhancing urban mobility by improving existing infrastructure and developing new lines in expanded areas to connect emerging satellite towns,” the CMP said.
The Comprehensive Mobility Plan also proposes another suburban rail corridor linking Sriperumbudur and Kancheepuram for a distance of 32.6 km
The plan also advocates the upgrade of the 4th line from Tambaram to Chengalpattu, 2nd line from Chengalpattu to Arakkonam, 3rd and 4th line from Athipattu to Gummidipundi.
To attract more commuters to the suburban rail network, the CMP fixed several targets to be achieved before 2048 (horizon period of CMP), including strategies to cover 60 per cent of population residing within 2km of a suburban station and achieving 5-minute peak-hour headway on high demand corridors. Further, all suburban stations will have a continuous footpath network within 500m radius.