MADURAI: The Madurai Metro rail project has encountered planning challenges as its proposed route conflicts with the National Highways Authority of India’s (NHAI) plans for vehicular underpasses at accident-prone areas along the Thirumangalam stretch.
The issue arises at two key intersections—Sipcot and Thoppur—where NHAI aims to construct underpasses to enhance road safety as part of its “Zero Fatality Highways” initiative. Meanwhile, CMRL’s metro design features a median alignment that follows the same highway post-Thirumangalam.
CMRL and NHAI are currently exploring options to harmonize metro infrastructure with NHAI’s plans, which could involve raising the height of metro pillars and stations or shifting the alignment, possibly necessitating land acquisition. Discussions between officials from both sides are scheduled for next week to devise a collaborative strategy.
According to T. Archunan, project director of CMRL, after the Thirumangalam stretch, the planned median alignment runs along the national highway. However, NHAI’s proposals for vehicular underpasses at Sipcot and Thoppur Junction, aimed at improving safety in these accident-prone zones, present a challenge. “Since these are underpasses, they involve ramps. If they were flyovers, it would have been different,” he noted following a joint inspection with NHAI officials.
The Tamil Nadu government has put forth the Madurai Metro rail project, which spans 32 km and includes 26 stations, with an estimated cost of ₹11,360 crore. While the proposal awaits central approval, CMRL is actively preparing plans for land acquisition and utilities.
Officials anticipate that the project will gain central approval in the upcoming months, estimating that the underground sections will take approximately 4.5 years to complete, while elevated stretches will require around 3 to 3.5 years.
