The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed an agreement to provide a loan of $350 million to the central government of India to fund the construction of three new metro lines in Chennai. The loan is part of a $780 million multi-tranche financing facility for the Chennai Metro Rail Investment Project.
The project aims to expand the existing metro rail network in Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu, by constructing three new corridors – 3, 4, and 5 – that will connect the central area of the city to major destinations in the south and west. The project will finance the construction of 10.1 km of the elevated section of Corridor 3, between Sholinganallur and the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu-2, including nine metro stations and system components. It will also fund the construction of 10 km of the underground section of corridor 4, between Lighthouse and Meenakshi College, including nine stations, and 31 km of system components, including electrical, mechanical, power, and telecommunication infrastructure, for corridor 5, between Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus and Okkiyam Thoraipakkam.
The stations on the three lines will incorporate features to make them resilient to disasters and climate events, and will be accessible to the elderly, women, children, people with disabilities, and transgender individuals. The project will also include the creation of multimodal interchanges and facilities to improve the commuting experience, such as drop-off and pick-up areas, sheltered waiting areas, bicycle facilities, and passenger information.
