TN Govt allocates Rs 200 cr for monorail project

RFQ called for the Rs 3,200-cr project

After the successful commercial launch of the monorail project in Mumbai, the state of Tamil Nadu is gearing up to implement a similar project in Chennai. A State government undertaking has called for Request for Qualification (RFQ) from the interested parties to implement the proposed Rs 3,200 crore.

In his budget speech today, Tamil Nadu's Finance Minister O Pannerselvam said that in the 2014-15 Budget it was decided to allocate Rs 200 crore to take up the preliminary works towards the monorail project.

The estimated length of the project is 20.68 kms and estimated cost of the project is $522million (around Rs 3,235 crore). The project will be taken up through public, private partnership (PPP), on design, build, finance operate and transfer (DBFOT) basis.

The project will be implemented by Metropolitan Transport Corporation (Chennai) Ltd (MTC). The Corporation has called for RFQ from the interested parties to bring out a detailed scope of work, eligibility criteria, feasibility report, ridership estimation report, MTC Bus passenger data and others.

The project will run between Poonamallee to Kathipara with a link from Porur to Vadapalani.

The route course would be Poonamallee-Karayanchavadi-Kumananchavadi-Iyyanapthangal-Sri Ramachandra Medical College-Porur Lake-Porur-Mugalivakkam-Ramapuram-Nandhambakkam-Kathipara Junction and a link from Porur Lake to Arcot Road-Valasaravakkam-Alwar Thirunagara-Virugambakkam-Vadapalani.

The J Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK when it came back to power in 2011, announced that it would implement a Rs 16,650 crore monorail project for Chennai. The Project will be implemented for the entire distance in a restructured form. The work will be taken up initially in the first three corridors and subsequently, the work will be taken up in the fourth corridor.

On the advantages of the project, the State administration said land Acquisition is very minimal to implement this project. Monorails of the latest technology are safe, occupy less than a square metre space when columns are located on central median are easy to construct, quick to execute, cause minimal disruption during construction, aesthetically pleasing, no Grid Power required for operation environment friendly and cost efficient. They have the advantage of branching and serving interior areas and are not confined to a corridor.

Since the project will be implemented through DBFOT basis, there is no financial commitment for the state Government.

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