CMRL is studying parking requirement in metro stations based on the number of passengers.
| Photo Credit: B. JOTHI RAMALINGAM

For the 118.9-km Chennai Metro Rail’s phase II project with 128 stations, there is parking provision for only 8,490 vehicles.

The existing plan indicates that Chennai Metro Rail has planned to build parking space with the following capacity for the three corridors. Madhavaram to SIPCOT (2,455 vehicles), Light House to Poonamallee (664 vehicles) and Madhavaram to Sholinganallur (5,371 vehicles).

According to officials of Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL), they will provide for parking in most of the stations in the phase II network within the existing land parcels acquired. “Further, we are also studying the parking requirement in each station based on ridership, parking demand in consultation with Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA). Based on the study, CMRL will identify and acquire land for parking development which will serve the nearby stations,” an official said.

In comparison, for the 54-km phase I and phase I extension project, CMRL has a capacity to park 20,000 vehicles.

Commuters say it is not enough to just have parking facilities for the sake of it, but they should be sufficient to meet the footfall of each station. This is primarily important in the absence of good footpaths across the city and well-established last mile connectivity system.

R.K. Ravichandran, a resident of Kolathuvancheri near Iyyappanthangal and a frequent traveller in Metro Rail, said, when he has to travel to High Court to Washermanpet, he drives his two-wheeler to reach Airport or Meenambakkam Metro Rail station and then takes a train. There is a station coming up at Iyyapanthangal closer to his residence in the phase II network but said, he won’t be able to use it if the parking space is insufficient. “We don’t have enough minibuses to ferry people to Metro Rail stations at present. As a result, most commuters like me, drive to the nearest station. But the problem is, the parking space in Airport or Meenambakkam station is unable to cater to the huge demand. Often, it is a struggle to find a space to park. Hence, we hope the CMRL is building stations with adequate parking facilities. Otherwise, phase II may not have enough takers,” he added.

Smritika Srinivasan, an urban planner, said, vehicles are growing at an unprecedented rate and there is an increasing demand for parking. Meanwhile, pedestrians find it tough to access the metro stations, when there are barely any good and continuous footpaths leading up to stations.

“In a recent survey we carried out at the Vadapalani metro station, we found out that nearly 41% of the commuters came to the metro by private vehicles. While we’ve not been able to establish the direct correlation between provision of parking facilities at metro stations and its impact on ridership, parking spaces at the metro station is important in the long run, especially when we want people to shift to public transport at least for a portion of their trip. However, this needs to be coupled with good last mile connectivity facilities like continuous and connected footpaths and feeder services in order to shift people entirely to a sustainable and cost-effective mode of transport,” she added.