BackAIADMK, DMK claim credit for Chennai Metro
Turf wars have been fought over it with both the AIADMK and the DMK regime claiming ownership of the project
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Bengaluru: In the six years since the inception of the Metro rail project in Chennai, there has been plenty of controversy surrounding it. Turf wars have been fought over it with both the present All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) government and the earlier Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) regime claiming ownership of the project.
Accusations of forcible land acquisition have dogged it and freak accidents which spelt death for both workers and passers-by have taken place due to it.
However, when the first Metro train was flagged off from the Alandur station to Koyambedu on 29 June, hundreds of people milled to the station to watch chief minister J. Jayalalithaa inaugurate it and then take a ride themselves.
“It is a short distance right now. But by the end of the year it will go all the way to the airport, definitely improving connectivity in the city," said a Metro official, who declined to be named.
With nine trains, each with a capacity to accommodate 1,200 people, and an extension of the line on its way, it looks like the Metro will change the face of the city. Right now, taking a ride on the metro is more recreational with people from the interiors of the state coming to Chennai just to take a ride and take a lot of selfies. “It has just started so people all want to go on a joy ride," said the official.
With the minimum price being ₹ 10 per ticket and the maximum ₹ 40 (for the entire 10 km stretch), the ride is somewhat expensive compared with the rest of the country.
Shreya Gadepalli, regional director of Institute of Transport and Development Policy in Chennai, agreed that though the fare was high compared with the bus system, this was expected because “metro is a high cost system. In Chennai, the average cost per km is about ₹ 450 crore," she said while talking to The Hindu.
Another report in the newspaper added that the rates were more than other cities (Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru) because much of it runs underground, entailing higher cost than an overhead rail.
Some of the facilities provided within the metro premises include drinking water supply, toilets, automatic fare collection, smart card system and ATMs. Security is fairly high, but the so-called ladies compartment gets occupied by male passengers.
Retired professor Suresh Dhar says the pricing is reasonable. “If amenities and safety provisions are in place, the price is fine. The auto fares in Chennai are exorbitant anyway so this is hardly anything," he said.
Homemaker Jaishree Singh, admits to being rather impressed by the facility, “It was really clean and well organized," she said, adding that it is also very friendly for senior citizens.
“My son had fun riding on it," said Praveen Krishnamurthy, a Chennai-based consultant, “It was a fabulous experience and it is extremely convenient as the station is only 300 m from my house."
Not everyone says the same, however, “Right now, there is no integration with other services," said Suresh Dhar.
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