Metro finalises alignment for Airport-Kilambakkam extension

According to CMRL sources, the Metro’s phase-1 extension connecting Airport and Kilambakkam will be an elevated corridor running parallel to the GST and it will have 13 stations.

If Metro rail is extended up to Kilambakkam, commuters arriving at the proposedbus terminus could board a metro train to any of the transit hubs.

The phase-1 of the 45-km Metro runs in two corridors – Central to St Thomas Mount and Washermenpet to Airport and works are underway to extend the corridor till WIMCO from Washermenpet.

In the feasibility study conducted by the Larsen and Toubro, sources said that it had considered three alignments - a 16 km stretch along GST road, 19km stretch from GST Road till Tambaram and Mudichur Roadafterwards and 20 km stretch that passesfrom Airport-Cantonment-Pallavaram Bus Stand GST Road via Hastinapuram and Tambaram West Mudichur Road to Kilambakkam.

The CMRL, however, has finalised the GST alignment as it would be fully an elevated corridor and requires less land acquisition than others, said sources. The proposed alignment runs parallel to the Suburban train service – Beach to Tambaram which could impact the Metro’s ridership. Sources said that the Metro would commence work on the detailed project report.

In May 2018, Chief Minister Palaniswami announced that metro rail services would be extended up to Kilambakkam. “A study will be conducted to extend the Metro line up to the proposed mofussilbus terminus and integrate it with allrapid transport systems,” the CM had said during the inauguration of metro services between Central Metro and Nehru Park and from AG-DMS to Little Mount.