Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) and the State Highways Department have announced a major redesign. The revised plan aims to reduce the project’s cost by a substantial ₹1,000 crore by modifying the elevated structure.
The decision to overhaul the design follows an evaluation of the initial plan’s prohibitively high costs. Originally, the project envisioned a three-tier structure, with the metro rail positioned at the highest level, an expressway in the middle, and the existing Pallavaram flyover at the base. This complex multi-level design was intended for critical junctions such as the Chrompet roundabout and above the Tambaram flyover. However, CMRL’s Director of Projects, T Archunan, revealed that the new design simplifies the structure to a more cost-effective two-level arrangement. “Our revised plan focuses on reducing the overall height to achieve significant cost savings,” Archunan explained. The updated design proposes constructing flyovers on either side of the metro line, which will be situated above these flyovers, rather than integrating them into a single structure.
Despite the previous iteration of the design also proving too expensive, the new approach is expected to bring down costs by ₹1,000 crore. Archunan confirmed that ongoing work is focused on integrating the metro line with existing infrastructure at Pallavaram, Chrompet, and Tambaram, thus further reducing the height and associated expenses. The project redesign represents a critical step towards making the ambitious metro rail project more financially viable while ensuring it meets its strategic objectives. The final design, once approved, will be a significant milestone in advancing Chennai’s metro infrastructure and enhancing urban mobility.
