Chennai Metro

Savitha, a resident of Thirumangalam, travels to Guindy every day by Chennai metro. Last December, when Savitha was walking out of the Thirumangalam metro station, she found the floor of the station wet due to the rain. She slipped and fell, and sustained minor injuries as a result. "I did not know if there were any first aid facilities available at the station. Besides, there were no staff at the place where I fell. So, I walked out of the station and went to the nearby medical shop to get some first aid," she says. Similar instances have also been…

"A city designed with the principles of Universal Design will ensure that all users, including people with disabilities, the elderly, children, and women, can move about the city seamlessly, at any given time, without any dependence on anyone else," said Santhosh Loganaathan, a Chennai-based urban planner with the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP). If Chennai implements Universal Design perfectly, no resident will feel any inhibition while accessing urban spaces, said Santhosh. For instance, a visually impaired person and a sighted person must have the same confidence while navigating the city. "Currently, only some groups of people can participate…

The public transport system in the city has seen a slew of developments in the past year ranging from the commencement of works for Phase 2 of the Chennai Metro project to free travel for women passengers in the ordinary buses of MTC. With the Metro’s presence in the city now close to a decade, how has the system integrated with the public transport landscape in the city? What are the issues that prevent more riders from taking to the Chennai Metro and is that likely to change with Phase 2? Is the bus system, which ferries more people, being…

There have been various developments around public transport systems in the city over the past year.  The work on Chennai Metro Phase 2 has been underway for a few months, with stations and lines coming up across the city. The proposal to merge the MRTS with CMRL has also moved forward with assent from the government.  The Metro’s rapid development has meant various traffic roadblocks in the city as the necessary infrastructure is being put in place. There have also been issues with the CMRL taking over green spaces such as Thiru Vi Ka Park and Panagal Park.  In addition…

Many public services have moved towards contractualisation and casualisation of labour in the past few decades. The city has in recent years seen protests on this issue by workers of the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) and the Chennai Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB). Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL), the Special Purpose Vehicle(SPV) created for the metro rail project, has also grappled with issues around the engagement of contract workers.  What has the recruitment model followed by CMRL been? How has contractualisation affected services, if at all? What are the long-term implications of such a move? Long wait for…

While the pandemic saw some slump in ridership, the patronage seen by Chennai Metro has been on the rise in recent months. With all lines in Phase I and its extensions operational, the Metro saw a footfall of 1.5 lakhs on a daily basis for the month of April.  Proposed measures such as the merger of the Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) with the Metro could further boost connectivity in the city and create an integrated public transport system. Phase II of Chennai Metro, which will link key areas such as the IT corridor to the rest of the city,…

Access to public transport for people with disabilities has been a long standing issue often swept under the rug by the state government and the transport corporations. While the term 'disabled-friendly' has become a popular buzzword in various schemes, campaigns and budgetary promises, activists and citizens have pointed out how there is very little effort to really make public infrastructure accessible, safe and considerate for disabled individuals. The Disability Rights Alliance (DRA) is a coalition of independent, community-based organisations that advocate with and for people with any disability. One of their members filed a PIL highlighting the inaccessibility of the…

Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nadu, is one of the fastest-growing metropolitans in the country. The growing population and city expansion has stressed the existing infrastructure of Chennai, especially the transport systems. The transport sector needs to be planned to cater to the existing needs and meet the future demands of the growing population by taking into account changing travel patterns. Multiple studies have been conducted to devise a cohesive transportation plan for Chennai such as the Integrated Transport Plan 1977, Madras Area Transport Study 1986, Madras Route Rationalisation Study 1986, Traffic and Transportation Study for MMA 1986, Comprehensive…

All through the lockdown imposed to avert the spread of COVID-19, Chennai was without public transport and even now, services have just begun to operate in a limited manner. While there have been signs of a cycling revival, there are also reports of an increase in the sales of personal motor vehicles. But, as colleges and offices begin to reopen, it raises various questions about what commute in the city will be like in the coming year. Even before the pandemic, and in fact, for several years now, there has been a call to rethink how transportation works in Chennai.…

According to a 2018 Ease of Mobility Index report from the Ola Institute, Chennai emerged on top when it came to public transport usage, with 75% of the population opting for public transport; buses being the most widely used.  The MTC bus system in Chennai has proven to be most popular due to high daily frequency, capacity, affordability and accessibility. The main patrons have been those who are in lower income groups such as daily wage labourers who often have to travel long distances to their place of work. In the foreseeable future however, the daily commute of Chennai residents…