Chennai: The city's first underground metro rail stretch covering a distance of 4.5 kms between Tirumangalam ramp and Shenoy Nagar through two tunnels is ready with the electrification and signalling works completed.
An underground path lit with tube lights, platform screening doors at underground Metro stations and cross passages for emergency evacuation at every 250 meters would make every first-time traveller on this path stare with amazement.
The distance between the two tunnels on the stretch is 6 meters. According to CMRL sources, the work on this stretch is complete but inspection will be put off to earlier next year.
Shenoy Nagar is the largest station on this stretch and is one of the stations with crossover paths, which would ensure that no incident would lead to a break in services.
"The crossover paths are alternate routes that ensure that if a snag or incident affects the route, trains can take the alternate route. These are to ensure seamless services," said a senior CMRL official.
The underground stations have three levels - street, concourse and platform levels. The platform level and the underground stations will be completely air-conditioned. Apart from that, huge fans for ventilation are in place at the stations.
There will be platform screen doors at the platform level which will open and close with the train doors, a feature that only Chennai Metro has in the country currently.
Since people cannot move beyond these doors until the metro rail arrives, this will ensure that accidents and suicides are averted. Speaking about fares, officials said that the maximum fare would be Rs. 70 and is not expected to go higher than that. Also, the frequency of trains, which currently is low will be increased.
