Metro Rail’s corridor-5 to tower at 40 m height

When the fifth corridor between Madhavaram and Sholinganallur becomes operational, passengers travelling on Chennai Metro Rail phase-2 would get the best aerial view at Kathipara grade separator as the train is set to pass at a height of 40 metres (over 10 floors).

The proposed Corridor-5 passes over the two existing elevated corridors of phase-1 of the Metro Rail at Alandur metro station near Kathipara cloverleaf-shaped grade separator. “The elevation of the proposed Corridor-5 is 40.4m which is within the permissible elevation of air funnel zone as shared by CMRL. The station is proposed on the left side of the existing station on land reserved for Metro Rail,” said the Detailed Project Report for Chennai Metro Rail Phase-2. At 40 m, the proposed corridor will be the tallest at Kathipara in both the existing phase-1 and proposed phase-2. In phase 1, at Kathipara, the Metro Rail runs above the cloverleaf grade separator at a height of 24 m while at Vadapalani metro station, the trains run on the elevated viaduct at a height of about 16 m.

Chennai Metro Rail officials said there would not be any safety concerns as the structures would be designed for the highest wind speed recorded. The official said they would install a device called anemometers which measures real-time wind speed at the stations to protect the trains from extreme weather conditions on the elevated corridor. “Such devices were already installed at elevated stations, including Alandur, Airport and Koyambedu,” the official said, adding, the train operations would be stopped during the cyclone for safety. In the proposed Corridor-5, the train from Madhavaram would reach Alandur station via Ramapuram crossing the two existing corridors.