Chennai gets its Metro running, finally

The first train on the Chennai Metro Rail chugged off on Monday with chief minister Jayalalithaa flagging off the services on the Alandur-Koyambedu section from the state secretariat through live video, throwing open a mass rapid transport system to the public.

Incidentally, the inaugural service was steered by two women drivers.

The inaugural run, however, went empty and commuters were allowed to board the train only from the next service. Services on the 10-km Alandur-Koyambedu stretch started after a nearly eight-month delay.

But, at a whopping Rs40 for a 10-km journey from Alandur to Koyambedu, the Chennai Metro is the most expensive among the cities that have the facility in the country.

Chennai Metro's fares are costlier than those in Kolkata and Delhi. In Kolkata, it is Rs25 for a 30-km ride while in Delhi it is Rs27 for 31.52 km.

The Mumbai Metro charges Rs32 one-way for 11 km (Ghatkopar to Versova), according to the Mumbai Metro website.

The minimum fare for the Chennai Metro is Rs10 and the full fare for the entire stretch of 10.1 km is Rs40. Special class fares are double.

The fare, however, is cheaper than an auto ride, which can cost over Rs100, but more expensive than a bus ride or a shared auto, which cost around Rs20. Both options are available just across the Alandur station.

For the same full stretch, a city bus charges Rs11; for an air-conditioned one it is Rs30 a passenger. An auto rickshaw fare would be Rs200-250.

The Alstom-built metro car covers the distance in about 19 minutes, stopping at five stations. Each train in the Chennai Metro can carry 1,276 passengers. Seats are available for 176. Coaches are installed with LEDs and speakers.

Alstom, which bagged the contract to supply the trains, imported an initial set of about 10 cars from Brazil. It has since set up a plant in Tada, near its boundary with Andhra Pradesh.

Passengers have to buy a pre-loaded smart card worth Rs100, which they could top-up as and when they use the metro.

The 45-km first phase, with 32 stations, was originally estimated to cost Rs14,600 crore. It is now estimated to have increased to Rs20,000 crore. Of the project cost, the central and state governments would contribute around 20 per cent each with the rest coming from Japan International Cooperation Agency.

Project work began in 2007. Phase-I will have two corridors, a 23.1-km stretch (Washermanpet to Airport) and another of 22 km (Chennai Central to St Thomas Mount). Officials say they hope the project will be complete by next year.

The second phase was earlier estimated to cost Rs36,000 crore. Chennai Metro Rail Ltd has proposed three corridors of a total length of 60 km, all underground.