Commuters can now take a direct train from Koyambedu to Chennai airport, as CMRL has started direct services connecting both the stations covering a distance of about 15km on a trial basis. However, there will be only one train running on the direct route for every one hour.
Metro officials said they were working on several factors to make the service hassle-free before they get it commissioned on a regular basis. Trains will run from Koyambedu and switch corridors through the loop lines at Alandur station, a major transit hub. From there, it will proceed on to airport station which is on Little Mount-airport corridor. Before this line was opened, commuters were able to travel to the airport from Koyambedu with a single ticket, but after switching trains at Alandur.
"We have been running trains directly from Koyambedu to the Chennai airport on a trial basis for the two weeks," a metro official said, adding, "There are the passenger and safety-related issues involved. We will assess all that before we make it regular."
From Koyambedu, trains will run till Alandur as usual. At Alandur, it will take the loop line to switch to the corridor below, which runs up to airport metro station. Apart from several safety factors, officials are keeping an eye on the response to the service. "Only three or four passengers are using it now," an official said.
Officials said several issues may arise when direct services are commissioned, as the trains have to slow down when they switch corridors through the loop lines at Alandur metro station. The approaching trains have to be stopped and trains running separately on two corridors have to be scheduled accordingly. Trial runs are being conducted to fix these issues.
As of now, service from Koyambedu to St Thomas Mount will halt on the top-most level at Alandur while Little Mount to Chennai airport trains will halt a level below. Officials said running direct services was not part of the initial plan. The loop lines were only meant to take trains back to the depot in Koyambedu at the end of the day.
But ever since construction for the 9km line between Little Mount and the airport was nearing completion, there has been requisitions online for direct services to connect Koyambedu and the Airport station. In July 2016, during the launch of construction work for phase-I extension project, chief minister J Jayalalithaa had announced that metro rail would soon operate direct service to the airport.
Metro officials said they were working on several factors to make the service hassle-free before they get it commissioned on a regular basis. Trains will run from Koyambedu and switch corridors through the loop lines at Alandur station, a major transit hub. From there, it will proceed on to airport station which is on Little Mount-airport corridor. Before this line was opened, commuters were able to travel to the airport from Koyambedu with a single ticket, but after switching trains at Alandur.
"We have been running trains directly from Koyambedu to the Chennai airport on a trial basis for the two weeks," a metro official said, adding, "There are the passenger and safety-related issues involved. We will assess all that before we make it regular."
From Koyambedu, trains will run till Alandur as usual. At Alandur, it will take the loop line to switch to the corridor below, which runs up to airport metro station. Apart from several safety factors, officials are keeping an eye on the response to the service. "Only three or four passengers are using it now," an official said.
Officials said several issues may arise when direct services are commissioned, as the trains have to slow down when they switch corridors through the loop lines at Alandur metro station. The approaching trains have to be stopped and trains running separately on two corridors have to be scheduled accordingly. Trial runs are being conducted to fix these issues.
As of now, service from Koyambedu to St Thomas Mount will halt on the top-most level at Alandur while Little Mount to Chennai airport trains will halt a level below. Officials said running direct services was not part of the initial plan. The loop lines were only meant to take trains back to the depot in Koyambedu at the end of the day.
But ever since construction for the 9km line between Little Mount and the airport was nearing completion, there has been requisitions online for direct services to connect Koyambedu and the Airport station. In July 2016, during the launch of construction work for phase-I extension project, chief minister J Jayalalithaa had announced that metro rail would soon operate direct service to the airport.