A stakeholder meeting was held in Coimbatore last Friday after the consultant who is carrying out a feasibility study on the project, proposed the final stages of the DPR. Kovai Metro Rail is happening sooner than expected according to the detailed presentation.
The presentation spilled beans on how the metro rail system will function. The three-phase metro will cover a distance of 139km wherein phase one will cover roughly 44km between Avinashi road and Sathy road. The rest of the phases will materialize only after a detailed study.
The corporation is planning to construct the metros in parallel to the already constructed flyovers and the adjacent lands shall be acquired in a short span. In the places where these flyovers are in the initial stages, the CMRL team will look at a vertical two-tier system.
M.V.Ramesh Babu, president of the Coimbatore District Small Industries Association, gave his suggestion on the location. “We asked for a connection between Avinashi Road and Sathyamangalam Road to cater to residents of Vilankurichi and Kalapatti and also a station at the Codissia Industrial Park at Kannampalayam. We also suggested extension of the route beyond Vellalore to cover Chettipalayam,” he said.
They are affirmative that phase one will be completed in three years from the date of commencement. Each station will be packed with adequate space for parking facilities as well.
The preferred locations to build stations include Malls, bus terminals, airports, railway stations, and many other places under Public, Private partnerships.
J Sathish, a member of the Infrastructure Committee of the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Coimbatore, said District Collector G.S. Sameeran, Corporation Commissioner Rajagopal Sunkara, and officials from Chennai Metro Rail were present during the meeting.
The Coimbatore Metro Project is progressing steadily, with the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for Phase 1 nearing completion. This phase encompasses two elevated corridors totaling approximately 34.8 km:
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Corridor 1 (Red Line): Extends 20.4 km from Ukkadam Bus Stand to Neelambur, primarily along Avinashi Road.
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Corridor 2 (Green Line): Covers 14.4 km from Coimbatore Junction to Valiyampalayam Pirivu, primarily along Sathyamangalam Road.
These corridors are designed to enhance connectivity across key city areas, including major transportation hubs and commercial centers. The DPR has been submitted to the Government of Tamil Nadu and is awaiting approval from the Union Government.
In December 2024, officials from Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) announced plans to commence preliminary work for the project in early 2025, pending final approvals. The land acquisition process is expected to begin in January or February 2025, with the state government allocating ₹9,000 crore for the project’s development.
The project is planned in three phases, with Phase 1 focusing on the development of the two aforementioned corridors. Following land acquisition, the construction phase is estimated to take approximately three years. To minimize land acquisition challenges, the design proposes constructing pillars every 30 meters along the route, with half of the viaduct situated above the road.
Upon completion, the Coimbatore Metro is expected to significantly improve urban mobility, reduce traffic congestion, and bolster economic growth by providing efficient connectivity across the city.