Chennai Water Metro Plan: CMRL Floats Tender for 53-km Ennore-Mamallapuram Corridor

Chennai could soon add a new dimension to its public transport network, with Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) moving ahead with plans to explore a Water Metro service along the Buckingham Canal.

CMRL has invited tenders to prepare a detailed feasibility study and Detailed Project Report (DPR) for a proposed 53-km water transport corridor connecting Ennore in north Chennai with Mamallapuram in the south. The proposal is aimed at assessing whether passenger boat services can be developed along the historic canal and integrated with Chennai’s existing transport system.

The proposed corridor could provide an alternative travel option for residents in northern Chennai, southern suburbs and areas along the Buckingham Canal. Initial discussions have also focused on operating boat services between Napier Bridge and Kovalam, indicating that the feasibility exercise will examine different sections and operating possibilities before a final route is established.

The feasibility study will be important because the project is still at the planning stage. It is expected to examine the waterway alignment, passenger demand, terminals, supporting infrastructure, operational requirements and other technical aspects before any decision is taken on implementation.

If found viable, the Water Metro could complement Chennai’s existing network of Metro Rail, suburban trains and Metropolitan Transport Corporation bus services. Instead of functioning as a standalone transport system, its potential value would depend on how effectively it connects with existing public transport hubs.

The proposal also brings attention to the Buckingham Canal, a historic waterway that runs through several parts of Chennai and its surrounding areas. Reviving it for passenger transport would require careful planning around navigation, waterway conditions, terminals and urban infrastructure.

Chennai’s proposal comes after Kochi demonstrated the potential of water-based public transport through its Water Metro network. However, the Chennai project remains subject to the findings of the feasibility study and subsequent government decisions.

For Chennai, the immediate milestone is therefore not the launch of a Water Metro, but the completion of the feasibility and DPR process. If the corridor proves technically and commercially viable, the project could open a new chapter in Chennai’s multimodal transport story.