CHENNAI: Residents of New Manali Town and Tiruvottiyur recently submitted a letter to the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) asking it to study the feasibility of Metro Rail service in Manali New Town and implement the transit service.

Noticing the impact of Metro Rail and the easy commute through the city that it provides, the residents of Manali New Town and Tiruvottiyur have requested the state government to further the Metro Rail service and also provide a strong feeder service.

In the letter to the officials, the residents of Manali New Town have requested for a separate Metro station in the locality which would serve more than one lakh people, both residents and outsiders.

"We request the CMRL to undertake a feasibility study for the route and also strengthen the shoddy road leading to Wimco Nagar Metro station," said a resident of the area.

The residents further went on to list that with several industries around Manali New Town, the people in Vichoor, Napalayam, Andarkuppam, Eechankuzhi, and Kadapakkam among other areas would greatly benefit from the Metro Rail service.

"The area lacks a strong public transit service and we have been requesting the government for the same for the past several decades. Hence, under the North Chennai Development Plan, the state government should focus on improving the public transportation services here," said another resident who had met with CMRL officials.

Meanwhile, the residents have submitted the letter to the CMRL with signatures from 60,000 people belonging to 25 villages, over 400 industrial establishments, 1,500 commercial establishments, and more than 50 educational institutions.