CMRL, NHAI Officials Inspect Metro Alignment at Tirumangalam Amid Underpass Plans

On Saturday, September 6, senior officials of the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) jointly inspected the proposed Madurai Metro Rail alignment at Tirumangalam to assess the feasibility of possible interdiction to the corridor design.

The excursion, headed by CMRL Director (Projects) T. Archunan, was aimed at checking out NHAI’s proposal for two vehicular underpasses at SIPCOT industrial estate and Thoppur junctions. The metro alignment was initially supposed to pass through the centre of the national highway at Tirumangalam, but that may well now have to be modified in view of the underpass works.

Mr. Archunan told reporters officials had looked at options of raising the height of the pillars and stations for the metro or range relocating sections of the corridor. “Any change in the alignment could also involve fresh land acquisition. A final decision will be taken only after further discussions with NHAI,” he said.

The objective of this inspection was to help ensure that the two projects do not conflict. The metro, being an elevated corridor, and these underpasses are being planned mainly to alleviate road traffic. Thus, the coordination between the agencies is needed to avoid further delay in the project.

The Madurai Metro Rail Project, much-awaited by the local populace, is a public transport scheme for the city covering an area of 32 kilometers with 26 stations. The responsibility of implementing it has been assigned to CMRL by the state government, on the same lines that it did in Chennai. With operations commencing, the project is expected to ease traffic congestion in Madurai significantly and enhance urban mobility.

The joint visit held on Saturday is just the first step towards addressing any potential conflicts that may arise in the highway and metro construction in the busy zone of Tirumangalam, one of the crucial stretches of the proposed corridor. Following this, officials indicated that there are going to be further technical studies and inter-agency meetings before the alignment plan is finalized.

For the residents, thus, the key to how soon the reality of Madurai’s metro dream can take shape lies in the outcome of these discussions.