CMRL Begins Feasibility Study for Semi-High Speed Rail Corridors in Chennai, Coimbatore Regions

Chennai Metro Rail Ltd (CMRL) has started feasibility studies for three corridors of the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) planned for connecting all the major Tamil Nadu cities through semi-high-speed rail. The officials have stated that the feasibility studies would be completed in four months.

The proposed corridors are:

Chennai – Chengalpattu – Tindivanam – Villupuram (170 km)

Chennai – Kancheepuram – Vellore (140 km)

Coimbatore – Tirupur – Erode – Salem (185 km)

CMRL selected Balaji Railroad Systems as the consultant for this study. Assessments will be made on a multitude of areas, including alignment for the proposed routes, location of possible stations, the conditions of depot facilities, and any possible multimodal integration with existing transport networks.

Such an examination shall judge the relative merits of an at-grade, elevated, or underground solution concerning land requirement, environmental impact, and cost estimate of the entire project.

Designed for speeds ranging from 160 km/h to 200 km/h, these RRTS corridors aim to minimize inter-city travel times to 60 minutes. The whole intent would be to offer a quick and reliable mode of transport as compared to the roads, which would meet the growing demand for urban-rural connectivity within the State of Tamil Nadu.

This is yet another way in which CMRL is helping Tamil Nadu fulfill its aspirations of upgrading regional transport infrastructure to decongest itself and create economic linkages between cities and industrial hubs.

The feasibility study outcomes will provide a basis for any future regional rail mobility proposals in the state.