Coimbatore Metro

Coimbatore Metro
Overview
Owner	TNMRC [ who? ]
Area served	Coimbatore
Locale	Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
Transit type	Rapid Transit
Number of lines	5
Line number	Prioritised   Red Line (Line 1)    Green Line (Line 2)   Proposed   Yellow Line (Line 3)    Blue Line (Line 4)    Pink Line (Line 5)
Chief executive	Chennai Metro Rail Limited
Headquarters	Coimbatore metropolitan area
Operation
Began operation	Proposed
Operator(s)	CMRL
Technical
Top speed	80 km/h (50 mph)

Coimbatore Metro, also known as Kovai Metro, is a proposed rapid transit system for Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. ^{[1] [2]}

History

The Indian Government proposed a metro rail system for 16 tier-2 cities in India including Coimbatore in 2010. However, in 2011, the Tamil Nadu Government opted instead for a monorail, shelving the metro project. ^{[3] [4]}

The Coimbatore Railway Struggle Committee has since protested in favor of implementing a metro system in Coimbatore. ^[5] In 2013, transport expert E. Sreedharan conducted a survey in Coimbatore, concluding that a metro rail system would be suitable for the city. In January 2017, an official from the Coimbatore District Administration informed The Hindu that no mass rapid transit project was currently under consideration for Coimbatore. ^[6]

In the same year, the state government revived the metro proposal, and the then Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu announced that the national government was prepared to support and fund the project, contingent on state approval, but work never began.

Officials later announced a metro rail plan for Coimbatore, with a feasibility study to be conducted by Chennai Metro Rail Limited. Funding was to be sourced from the German-based KFW company. ^{[7] [8] [9] [10]}

The rail company subsequently issued a tender notice for the preparation of the feasibility report. ^[11] The project gained support in 2024–25, with Chennai Metro Rail Limited submitting more paperwork along with Comprehensive Mobility Plan to the Union government. ^{[12] [13]}

Project timeline

The Coimbatore Metro Rail Project was first proposed in 2011 but faced delays and revisions before gaining momentum in 2017. After feasibility studies and approvals, the Tamil Nadu government allocated ₹9,000 crores in 2023, with preliminary work set to begin in early 2025.

Corridors

Proposed Corridors

Proposed Metro Rail Routes in Coimbatore Based on CMP and Feasibility study ^[14]

Coimbatore Metro
Corridor No	Line	From	To	Roads	Via	Length (km)
1	Red Line	Ukkadam Bus Terminus	Karumathampatti	Avinashi Road	Coimbatore Junction, Peelamedu, Coimbatore International Airport	29
2	Green Line	Coimbatore Junction	Valiyampalayam Pirivu	Sathy Road, Siruvani Road	Gandhipuram Central Bus Terminus, Ganapathy Pudur, Saravanampatti	44
3	Yellow Line	Ukkadam Bus Terminus	Bilichi	Mettupalayam Road	Saibaba Colony Bus Terminus, Thudiyalur	24
4	Blue Line	Karanampettai	Thaneerpandal	Trichy Road, Thadagam Road	Singanallur Bus Terminus, Ukkadam Bus Terminus	42
5	Pink Line	Ukkadam Bus Terminus	Coimbatore Integrated Bus Terminus	Chettipalayam Road	Podanur Junction	8
Total						147

Phase-I Corridors

Proposed Metro Rail Routes in Coimbatore Metro Phase-I stage

Coimbatore Metro
Corridor No	Line	From	To	Total Distance (km)	No.of Stations	Status
1	Red Line	Ukkadam Bus Terminus	Neelambur	20.4	18	DPR Submitted
2	Green Line	Coimbatore Junction	Valiyampalayam Pirivu	14.4	14	DPR Submitted

Route Map

Legend

Valiyampalayam Pirivu VGP Nagar Park Plaza Neelambur Viswasapuram Venkitapuram Neelambur depot Saravanampatti PLS Nagar Coimbatore International Airport Chitra Nagar MGR Nagar Vinayagapuram SITRA Circle Ramakrishna Mills Coimbatore Medical College Athipalayam Hope College Ganapathy Pudur Fun Republic Mall Moor Market Peelamedu Coimbatore Omni Bus Stand Nava India Gandhipuram Bus Terminus Lakshmi Mills Ramnagar GKNM Hospital Coimbatore Junction Collectorate Coimbatore Junction railway station Town Hall Ukkadam Bus terminus

Phase-II Stage
Proposed Metro Rail Routes in Coimbatore Metro Phase-II stage ^[15]

Coimbatore Metro
Corridor No	Line	From	To	Total Distance (km)	No.of Stations	Status
3	Yellow Line	Ukkadam Bus Terminus	Bilichi	24	NA	Under planning stage
4	Blue Line	Karanampettai	Thaneerpandal	42	NA	Under planning stage

Planning

Phase 1

The phase 1 of "Coimbatore Metro" is planned to implement two corridors from Coimbatore Integrated Bus Terminus to Neelambur and from District Collector Office to Valiyampalayam Pirivu covering 44 kilometers at a cost of ₹9,424 crore. ^{[16] [17] [18]} The DPR suggested a Metrolite model but the officials said that the decision to make it a metrolite or to retain as a metro rests with the state government. ^[19] The Phase 1 focus to implement Corridor 5 (pink line) from Coimbatore Integrated Bus Terminus and Ukkadam Bus Terminus completely and the partial completion of Corridor 1 (red line) from Ukkadam Bus Terminus to Neelambur and the Corridor 4 (green line) from Ukkadam Bus Terminus to Valiyampalayam Pirivu. With 40 stations planned, ^[20] the Phase 1 will cover major transportation hubs in the city such as Coimbatore Integrated Bus Terminus, Coimbatore International Airport, Gandhipuram Central Bus Terminus, Coimbatore Junction, Ukkadam Bus Terminus and Podanur Junction. It will also connect major commercial hubs such as Townhall, Ukkadam and Gandhipuram.

Phase 2 and Phase 3

The remaining parts of Corridors 1 and 4 and the complete portion of Corridors 2 and 3 is planned to be completed in Phases 2 and 3.

See also

• Chennai Metro
• Kochi Metro
• Madurai Metro
• List of Coimbatore Metro stations

References

1. Sampath, Nirupa (25 November 2024). "CMRL puts Madurai and Coimbatore Metro plans on fast track". www.dtnext.in. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
2. "Chennai Metro Focuses on Coimbatore and Madurai, Delays Salem and Tiruchy Projects". News18. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
3. "Railway struggle comitte meets cm". The Hindu. 25 December 2013.
4. "railway committee suggest metro".
5. "Metroman E.sreedharan proposes metro". The Times of India. 26 October 2013.
6. Rajkumar, Varun Venkatesan and Surya (11 January 2017). "Signal remains red for Coimbatore metro rail project". The Hindu. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
7. "Coimbatore gets metro". The Hindu. 19 July 2017.
8. "CM announces metro for coimbatore". 27 January 2024.
9. "coimbatore gets metro". 19 July 2017.
10. Madhavan, Karthik (10 September 2017). "CMRL roped in for Coimbatore Metro Rail plan". The Hindu.
11. "State government floats tenders for metro rail feasibility study". The Times of India. 4 December 2017. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 13 November 2024.
12. "Madurai and Coimbatore metro rail projects: Missing details included in detailed feasibility report, officials say". The Times of India. 26 July 2024. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
13. "CMRL puts Madurai and Coimbatore Metro plans on fast track". DT Next. 25 November 2024. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
14. "Space availability a challenge for metro rail project planners".
15. "Metro project: Avinashi, Sathy roads to be covered in phase".
16. "Coimbatore Metro rail chugs closer to reality, DPR nearing completion".
17. "Tamil Nadu government gives nod to feasibility for establishing Coimbatore Metro".
18. "Tamil Nadu government approves feasibility study for MRTS in Coimbatore".
19. "DPR getting ready for Metro project for Coimbatore".
20. Sekar, Sunitha (5 April 2022). "Coimbatore city to get its own Metrolite". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 7 April 2022.