6km Metro stretch till airport will now have a roof

Chennai:

Chennaites travelling on the 6 km stretch of the Chennai Metro, from Alandur to Chennai Airport, won’t have the pleasure of enjoying views of landings and take-offs from the Chennai Airport. Their view outside is set to be obstructed by huge iron bars. The entire 6 km stretch will also have a roof - painted in bright red and white. 

“This is being done so that the pilot doesn’t get  distracted while landing the aircraft,” said a Chennai Metro Rail official. "The Airport Authority of India wanted us to cover the whole stretch because it would cause distractions to pilots due to reflections off shiny surfaces  and the regular movement of metro trains along the stretch." 

Even the 500 metre stretch, from the Officers Training Academy to Meenambakkam, is underground as aircraft swoop down quite low above this stretch to land on the Chennai Airport's runway.

It is to be noted however, that the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation does not cover the metro rail stretch near the Delhi Airport with a roof or fence the track with iron railings. Sources said that there was a similar request by the Airport Authority of India to Delhi Metro but they had not heeded the request as changes changes could not be made while the track is operational.

But Chennai Metro and other new metros now have time to look into these suggestions and they could be incorporated before commercial operations begin, said a Metro rail official.