First metro line to be commissioned by mid-2014 tegration with bus, suburban with different agencies to fix Rollout Aft- i TRACK RECORD i ~ 75%work rail, MRTS and monorail ser faresforthe services. on tile elevated vices to help passengers move With the city's rapid 6 Months 0 Koyambedu-St from one mode of transport to growth takinga toll on road in Thomas Mount and . another seamlessly. frastructure, the state govern LitIIe Mount-Airport A senior metro rail official ment decided to introduce Trial Runs lines is complete said, "Extensive trials will be metro rail as a new rail-based conducted along the elevated rapid transport system. It is TIMES NEWS NETWORK ~ 35%work on line beforeservicesareopened aimedatprovidingafast,relia underground to traffic. The trains will keep bIe, convenient and econom Chennai: Empty rakeso[ met stations and running along the line after ical mode of public transport, ro rail trains will operate sev tunnels is over construction is completed in strategically integrated with eral times over the elevated ~ Koyambedu-SI ~ lillie Mount December. People will be able other existing forms of public Koyambed.u-St Thomas 'IIIomas Mount Airport elevated ~ 55%work to see the trains." and private transport services MOWltlineforsixmonthsdur elevated line will be line will be on a depot at The trials will act as a as well as with future systems, ing trials before the project is commissioned by completed by Koyambedu is showpiece. The service will be including monorail transport. commissioned in mid-2014. mid-next year end of next year complete a fIllip to commuters, linking Under the CMRL, two cor With construction is pro MRTS and suburban trains at ridors have been taken up for gressing rapidly along the pleted by 2015-end," fmance on the Koyambedu depot and St Thomas Mount and mofus implementation. The corri stretch, the government has minister 0 Panneerselvam 35% work on underground sta sil buses at CMBT. The Little dors-from Washermenpet to announced a deadline for the told the state assembly on tions and associated tunnels Mount-Airport line is expect Chennai Airport and from commissioning. "Chennai Wednesday. have been completed till ed to be commissioned by Chennai Central to St Thomas metro ra il project is likely to be '~bout 75% of construc March last," he said. end-20I4. Mount via Koyambedu - will commissioned in three stages tion relating to elevated via Chennai Metro Rail Limit As the deadline nears, met cover 23.1km and 22km from mid-2014and will becom- ducts and stations, 55% work ed (CMRL) plans to ensure in- ro rail has begun discussions respectively.