Plans to integrate metro rail station with other mode of transport

Chennai:

Plans are on to integrate upcoming metro rail stations with existing modes of public transportation and develop feeder bus stops at the railway stations, according to a top Chennai Metro Rail official.

Speaking during a panel discussion on ‘Access and mobility’ during a three-day Symposium ‘Human Space – Cultural Space: On Urban Ethics’, N K Kumar, chief general manager of project finance Chennai Metro Rail Limited said plans are on to have a civil and systematic integration with the metro rail stations with immediate influence of around 500 metres and a broader influence around 2.5km to 5km.

"In the civil integration, we are planning to integrate Metro rail through physical structures such as pick-up and drop-off facility besides provision of parking bouys, footpath facilities and feeder services," he added.

Similarly, in the system integration, common ticketing system for bus and rail holds the key. Highlighting the success of the pick-up and drop-off facility in Chennai Central, he said this could be replicated in Metro Rail stations also.

Kumar said plans are on to run a feeder bus to the stations and feeder routes and feeder bus stops are planned.

He also said parking demand should be assessed and a common parking solution should be framed with the involvement of all the stakeholders.

He also stressed on the need for hawking zone so that stations should have ‘happening experience’. He also said that Metro rail will have eight stations by next year and the underground stations by 2015.