For many residents of the metro city of Chennai (as indeed most of Tamil Nadu for that matter), the city state of Singapore has always held plenty of attraction. Be it Singapore’s cleanliness, its strict adherence to laws and its transportation backbone, the famous Singapore Metro (or MRT, as it’s called) have always attracted questions as to why the same could not be replicated back home to provide comfort and convenience in equal measure to commuters.
The times are changing, however. While Singapore’s orderliness may take more time to emulate, a beginning has been made with the launch and recent expansion of the Chennai Metro. Yes, Chennai is one of India’s few but ever-increasing cities to now boast of a metro service. What’s more, the Chennai Metro does seem to have avoided the bane of many other similar services in other cities i.e. poor planning an insufficient connectivity. We look at how this has happened and why is this very good news for any resident (or visitor) to this city.
Where do I get on to the Metro from?
For a Chennai resident, the answer is not very far from one’s home! The Chennai Metro has been planned with a lot of care, with the initial phase connecting some of the key commercial, residential and transportation hubs of the city.
As of now, two metro lines are operational. The Green Line from Nehru Park to St. Thomas Mount and the Blue Line from Little Mount to Chennai International Airport are the completed segments. The Metro passes through some of the city’s main residential cum commercial areas; a prime reason to why the city has witnessed much increase in the number of flats for sale in Anna Nagar, Kilpauk Vadapalani, Ashok Nagar, Guindy, and other neighboring areas that are located in close vicinity to the metro line.
On the anvil is an extension of the Blue Line from Little Mount to Chennai Central and the Green Line from Nehru Park to Washermanpet and onwards to Wimco Nagar in north Chennai. Both these extensions will ensure that large parts of the city will be covered by the Metro, with other modes such as the Suburban service and the Chennai MRTS serving the remainder.
You no longer need to worry about missing your bus/train/flight
A common issue whenever one needs to travel out of the city is getting to the airport, railway station or bus terminus well in time to board their flight, train or bus. Hence, the journey can actually begin 1-2 hours earlier, with the traffic and distance as major irritants. Add to it common occurrences such as a political rally, a marriage procession or even police checking and the sheer number of uncertainties are overwhelming for even the most level-headed of us. One can end up spending plenty of valuable time and energy in negotiating the chaos on the streets, while dealing with stress at the same time.
For Chennai residents, however, these worries are a thing of the past. All they need to do is get to the metro station and clamber on to the air-conditioned and spacious coaches. Following this, they can enjoy a relaxing ride leaving behind the traffic and chaos on the roads and can even read a book or post on social media in the interim! What’s more, they can get to their destination directly in a fraction of the time it would take on the road.
Yes, you heard it right! The Chennai Metro, as of now, directly connects to the Chennai International Airport as well as the Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus (CMBT) at Koyambedu, which is the main inter-city bus terminus of Chennai. To add to it, the city’s two biggest railway hubs, Chennai Central and Egmore will be part of the Metro in the coming months.
Your workplace is now within reach
But you would ask, does it also come to my aid in my daily commute to office? The answer to this is partly yes right now and an unequivocal one in the near future. If one is working in the Olympia or Tamarai tech parks near Alandur, the metro is the best way to get to them. If one’s workplace is on Old Mahabalipuram Road, one can take the Metro till Chennai Central and then, switch to the MRTS and still get to work in much lesser time than by road.
As the metro expands, one can expect other prominent commercial districts such as Ambattur, Avadi and Broadway to soon be part of the same. An added benefit is that once then happens, one need not hunt for a place near their workplace and end up compromising on infrastructure and comfort. Instead one can avail the best of both worlds: live in a well-regarded address and work in their location of choice, while maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
Your guest’s best friend
If you have visitors to your place who wish to explore the city, but are apprehensive of the notorious auto-rickshaws, not comfortable with taking the local buses owing to language issues and feel cabs to be too expensive, the Metro is a good way to explore the city’s major attractions. From St. Thomas Mount to Guindy National Park and even the Marina Beach, one can easily travel to and from these places without feeling hassled.
To wrap it up
The Chennai Metro has gone past the initial stage when it was used primarily for joyrides. Connecting different ends of this megacity to each other and allowing people to travel in a comfortable manner to wherever they desire, it is playing and will continue to play a pivotal role in the city’s development and making life easier for those living here. The developmental activities have been a major catalyst for the realty industry, especially the residential segment; resulting in much increased demand for new flats for sale in Chennai
We, at Ozone Group, are pleased to present to your our 40-acre real estate development. The Metrozone. Located between two important Metro stations in Thirumangala and Koyambedu, this project allows you to easily commute to all parts of the city. Apart from this, you can utilize the best of amenities and live in a home with all premium specifications you desire for a happy and healthy life.
