AIIB injects ₹2,306-cr in Chennai metro project

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has agreed to inject ₹2,306 crore for the construction of a 18-km elevated stretch between Meenakshi College in Kodambakkam and Poonamallee bypasses, which are part of Chennai Metro Rail Limited's (CMRL) ambitious 118.9-km 3-corridor phase-2 project, said official sources. The tenders will be issued shortly as the consultant who will design the stations and the line, is already on the job and soil testing on this stretch is also completed The Meenakshi College and Poonamallee bypass stretch is part of 26.1km corridor 4 from Light House to Poonamallee bypass. Asian Development Bank will fund the rest of the corridor between Light House and Meenakshi College. Earlier, CMRL had planned corridor 4 between Light House and CMBT linking core areas of the city including Mylapore, Adyar, Nandanam, T Nagar a Kodambakkam and Vadapalani but later extended the line to cover localities like Porur, Iyappanthangal, Kumanan Cahvadfi, Karayan Chavadi and Poonamallee, which were earlier planned to be part of monorail project. Construction will begin for a 52-km long Meenakshi College to Poonamallee Bypass corridor early this year and tunneling will be carried out on two stretches – from Venugopal Nagar in Madhavaram to Kellys covering 9-km and from Kellys to Taramani Road Junction covering 12-km. CMRL has invited tenders for the 52-km stretch between Madhavaram and Sholinganallur and Madhavaram and the project is being funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).