Madurai Metro

Madurai Metro, is a proposed rapid transit system for Madurai, Tamil Nadu. It arose from a Madurai Metrolite system, part of a major expansion of public transport in the city and one of the projects devised by the former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu J.Jayalalithaa.

Madurai Metro
Overview
Owner	TNMRC
Area served	Madurai
Locale	Madurai, Tamil Nadu
Transit type	Rapid transit
Number of lines	3
Line number	Phase-1 * Line 1 (Madurai Metro) Phase-2 * Line 2 (Madurai Metro) * Line 3 (Madurai Metro)
Chief executive	Chennai Metro Rail Limited
Headquarters	Madurai metropolitan area
Operation
Began operation	Proposed
Operation will start	December 2027
Operator(s)	CMRL
Train length	3 coaches
Technical
Top speed	60 km/h (37 mph)

v t e Madurai Metro
Legend
Phase I
Chittampatti ACRI Madurai Othakadai High Court Bench Uthangudi Mattuthavani K Pudur Commissioner Office Goripalayam Vaigai River Simmakkal Keezhavasal Meenakshi Temple Madurai Junction Therkuvasal Madura College Vasantha Nagar Pasumalai Thiruparankundram Thirunagar Thanakankulam Thoppur Dharmathupatti Kappalur Tirumangalam Tirumangalam metro depot Madurai–Tirunelveli line

As of March 2023^[update], the DPR preparation contract was awarded to Aarvee Associates.^[1] It was ready by July 2023, with construction work planned to commence by end of 2024.^[2][3][4]

History

Background

As the monorail market is estimated to be ₹72,000 crore (US$10 billion) in India, the then Governor of Tamil Nadu, Banwarilal Purohit announced in Legislative assembly that the Government of Tamil Nadu had decided to do a feasibility study for introducing monorail system in Madurai^[5][6][7][8] along with Salem, Thiruchirappalli,^[9][10][11] and Tirunelveli.

In 2020, the government has earmarked a sum of about ₹60,000 crore (US$8.4 billion) for metro and monorail projects in Tamil Nadu.^[12] At that time SASTRA, using Geographical Information System (GIS) tools, had worked out a proposal for a suburban railway route for Madurai City.

Madurai proposed routes for monorail were:

1. Tirumangalam – Mattuthavani - via. Kappalur, Thirunagar, Thiruparankundram, Palanganatham, TN polytechnic, Madurai Railway station, Simmakkal, Goripalayam, Tallakulam, Madurai Dist court.
2. Thiruparankundrum – Park Town - via. Thiruparankundrum Temple, Airport, SN College, Avaniapuram, Villapuram, South Gate, Keelavasal, Nelpettai, Goripalayam, Narimedu, Incometax office, Krishnapuram colony, Viswanathapuram, P & T Nagar.
3. Kochadai – Viraganur - via. Kalavasal, Arappalayam, Ellis Nagar, Madurai Railway station, Vilakuthoon, Keelavasal, Munichalai, Teppakulam.
4. Vandiyur – Iyer Bungalow - via. Anna Nagar, Suguna stores, Aravind Eye Hospital, K. K. Nagar, Anna Bus stand, GH, Goripalayam, Reserve Line, K. Pudur
5. Anuppanadi - Koodal Nagar - Via Teppakulam, Anna nagar, Apollo Hospitals, Mattuthavani, Surveyor Colony, Mahatma Gandhi Nagar, Anaiyur
6. Tirumangalam to Melur - Tirumangalam, Kappalur, Thoppur, Tirunagar, Vadapalanji, Madurai Kamaraj University, Nagamalai, Nagari, Samayanallur, Vilangudi, Koodal nagar, Arappalayam Bus Terminus, Simmakal, Madurai railway Jn, Periyar Bus Terminus, Jaihindpuram, Villapuram, Mahal, Teppakulam, Anna nagar, Vandiyur, Pondy koil, Mattuthavani, High Court, TVS Srichakra, Melur.
7. Azhagar-koil to Avaniapuram - Azhagarkoil, Moondru Mavadi, K.Pudur, KK Nagar, G.H., Goripalayam, Sellur, Koodal nagar, Arapalayam BS, P.P. chavadi (in Theni main rd), Bye pass rd (Ponmeni), Vasantha Nagar roundana, T V S Nagar, Pykara, Thirupprankundram, Nilaiyur, Airport, Mandela nagar, Transport Nagar (along ring road), Avaniapuram.

Transfer Points were: Avaniyapuram, Goripalayam, Madurai Railway station, Periyar Bus stand, Keelavasal, Anna Nagar, Teppakulam, Mattuthavani, Tiruparankundrum^[13][14]

The Government of Tamilnadu proposed for a Metro Rail in Madurai, the third largest city in the state of Tamilnadu.^[15][16] CMRL releases tender notice for preparing the project's feasibility report in March, 2022 and BARSYL bags the tender to prepare feasibility study with the deadline of May, 2022^[17][18]

Project timeline

• 2012: Tamil Nadu Government under J. Jayalalithaa announces monorail project for Tier II cities such as Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, Tirunelveli and Salem^[19]
• 2021: Tamil Nadu Government under M. K. Stalin announces metro rail projects for Tier II cities such as Madurai
• 2022: BARSYL bags the tender to prepare feasibility study for the mass rapid transportation system in Madurai^[20]
• 2022 November: Madurai metro rail will cover 29 km with 17 stations in phase 1 stated by the DFR prepared by Balaji Rail Road Systems (BARSYL) and the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL)^[21]
• 2022 December: Detailed Project Report (DPR) was awaited for Madurai Metro
• 2023 March: Aarvee Associates bags the tender to prepare Detailed Project Report (DPR) for 1.35 crores.^[22]

Proposed corridors

Phase I

Proposed Metro Rail Routes in Madurai at Phase-1 stage^[23]

Madurai Metro
Corridor No	Line	From	To	Roads	Via	Length (km)	Number of Stations
1	Line-1	Tirumangalam	Othakadai	Tiruparankundram Road, Mattuthavani High Road	AIIMS, Thiruparankundram, Periyar Bus Terminus, MGR Bus Terminus, Meenakshi Temple, Madras High Court- Madurai Bench	31	22

Phase II

Proposed Metro Rail Routes in Madurai at Phase-II stage^[24][25]

Madurai Metro
Corridor No	Line	From	To	Via	Length (km)	Number of Stations
2	Line-2	Kattapuli Nagar	Madurai International Airport	Samayanallur, Paravai, Fatima College, Madurai Junction, MGR Bus Terminus, Meenakshi Temple, Perungudi	20	14
3	Line-3	Manalur	Chekanurani	Velammal College, Keelavasal, Madurai Junction, MGR Bus Terminus, Meenakshi Temple, Kalavasal, Nagamalai Pudukkottai	23	19

See also

• Chennai Metro
• Coimbatore Metro
• Kochi Metro
• List of Madurai metro stations