Monorail in 2 routes to link city with suburbs

Presenting the demand for grants for his department in the House on Monday, State Transport Minister MR Vijayabaskar said the Monorail scheme would be implemented in two routes in the city. The announcement has put to bed speculations about the ruling AIADMK reportedly going slow on the 43.48km transport project, which was originally announced by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in 2006. That Vijayabaskar said, ‘’It will be integrated with the existing and upcoming transport facilities in the metropolis,” may silence the Opposition which raised serious doubts about the future of the project, especially after it failed to cross the tendering stage during the 2011-16 AIADMK regime.

Significantly, the minister, for the first time, has also revealed a definite cost estimate (Rs 3,267 crore) for the first phase of the network connecting Porur to Vadapalani with link from Poonamallee to Kathipara junction at Guindy (20.68 km). The government proposes to implement the first stretch with public-private participation on Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) basis. Plan for second stretch from Vandalur to Velacherry (22.80 km, costing Rs 3,135.63 crore) has been submitted to the Central government for its approval, Vijayabaskar informed the House.