This is the Coimbatore Metro - Four corridors with a 136km connectivity network

Coimbatore: The Coimbatore Metro Rail Project was first announced during the MGR Centenary celebrations in Coimbatore along with a slew of other projects like Avinashi Athikadavu project and many new flyovers for Coimbatore in December 2017. The metro rail project has since been officially announced in the Assembly to be kickstarter in the financial year 2017-2018 and in February 2019 it was announced that a period of one year would be taken to prepare Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the project. 

A private consulting firm was contracted to carry out the study and submit the DPR to the State Government. In November, 2019, Systra Group submitted the study for the Bus Rapid Transport System and also the feasibility for the Metro project. 

The officials from Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) have recently concluded a meeting with the State Highways Department after the feasibility study for the Coimbatore Metro Rail Project on December 11, 2019 to understand the feasibilities of the corridors suggested for the Metro Project. 

Now the officials have submitted the project report to the State Government and are waiting for the final approval for the launch of the Metro Project. 



As per the report submitted by the private consultancy firm Systra after conducting a feasibility study, the Coimbatore metro rail project will be implemented in four corridors covering a total network length of 136 km. These four proposed metro corridors are

1. From Karanampettai on Trichy Road to Thaneerpandal on Thadagam Road (42 km)
   
2. From Kaniyur to Ukkadam via Avinashi Road (26 km)
   
3. From Bilichi to Ukkadam via Mettupalayam Road (24 km)
4. From Ganeshapuram to Karunya Nagar via Sathy Road (44 km)

Following the study of this proposal, the State Highway Department officials have raised their objections on the proposed extension of the flyover and suggested to turn the flyover at Ukkadam-Sungam junction to form an elevated loop at the place where the Ukkadam bus stand is located before getting down at Ukkadam-Sungam Bypass.

“As a ground-level corridor connecting Karanampetti and Thaneerpandal through Ukkadam-Sungam Bypass was suggested, it might affect the proposed design of the flyover project. Also, considering the vehicle flow, it is difficult to provide the 10 meters required to lay the railway track on the road,” said sources in the state highway department official.

The state highway department officials said that talks are being held with CMRL officials to find a solution before proceeding with the Coimbatore metro rail project.

“During the first meeting held in December, the highways department had suggested to form the corridor through Lanka Corner instead of passing it through Ukkadam-Sungam Bypass.”, they said.

As the 1.97-km-long Ukkadam Flyover project recently commenced, hence the department had proposed to make changes on both sides of the flyover – towards Athupalam and Town Hall.

It was also proposed to extend the flyover for another 600 meters up to Athupalam junction. According to plan, a 300-meter-long loop will be constructed between Palakkad and Pollachi Road and on the other side, it was proposed to cut off the flyover by 244 meters from Naaz Theatre and form an elevated loop before connecting the roads towards Sungam and Town Hall.

The Metro project is a major infrastructure project for Coimbatore that will be executed at a very high cost running into several thousand crores and will forever change the landscape of the City of Coimbatore. This along with the expansion of the International Airport will herald Coimbatore into a new era of connected prosperity and will also alter the old world green charm of the city forever. 

The Project’s Historic Timeline

1. 2011: Central government announces Metro rail projects for Tier ii cities where Coimbatore is also included.
   
2. 2011: Tamil Nadu government under CM J.Jayalalitha shelves metro rail project in favour of monorail.
   
3. 2013: Metroman E. Sreedharan makes survey and announces Metro rail as suitable transport for Coimbatore.
   
4. 2017: Tamil Nadu government under Edappadi K. Palaniswami again announce metro rail for Coimbatore.
   
5. 2017: Tamil Nadu government announce the commencement of Coimbatore metro rail works by financial year 2017-18
   
6. 2017: Railway minister Suresh Prabhu also announces that central government is ready to launch and fund the Coimbatore metrorail project
   
7. 2017: Tamil Nadu Government announces that feasibility study would be conducted and DPR will be prepared for Coimbatore metro by CMRL and the fund will be provided by German-based company.
   
8. 2017: Tamil Nadu Government orders CMRL to float Tender.CMRL releases Tender notice for preparing coimbatore metros DPR and Feasibility report.
   
9. 2018: CMRL Floats tender for Coimbatore metro Detailed project report and feasibility preparation.
   
10. 2018: Kfw shortlists five firms to prepare the DPR and Feasibility study for coimbatore metro.
    
11. 2019: Feasibility study and DPR under preparation by Systra Group
    
12. 2019: Feasibility study has been submitted by Systra group to the Government and waiting for Approval
    
13. 2019: Systra Group, has also approached the district administration and the city municipal corporation to furnish details about development work to be implemented in the city and state highways, national highways roads and national highways authority of India (NHAI) roads.Based on the details provide by the district administration and the corporation, the private company would prepare the DPR.