Skip to main content

Chennai Metro Rail


At-last comes an opportunity to travel in the Chennai Metro train. CMRL has just taken the city up to another level. With automated ticketing entry and exit, escalators and lifts, ticket vending machines, snacks selling vending machines and automatic doors of coaches the Metro is indeed a boon to Chennai.


It takes sometime to digest the fact that the all modern and immaculate is all ours for Chennai-ites. The flooring are done in granite and maintained clean and neat. Hand bags and carry baggage are set to scrutiny through the scanner as in airport security check-ins; a must in today's state of the world. Around the ticket counter are the different vending machines for snack packets and for ticketing. Counters are less manned due to lesser number of passengers. Employees are friendly and provide all help that is necessary for first timers.



CMRL has employed people near the platforms to ensure they get into the right train and no one stays close to the tracks. Our journey started at Alandur Metro Station. Being a junction this station hosts 4 platforms, 2 in each level. 2 for Airport to Washermenpet and other 2 to Central via Koyambedu. Central station is another junction hosting 5 platforms. Alandur metro station has ample parking space for two wheeler and cars. The parking duration is calculated with the qcode-d tickets. Also available here are two wheeler for rent which one can hire to drive from the station. Feeder service are provided through autos and share autos in the station premises.



Platforms levels can be reached through lifts and escalators. Unlike the escalators in the malls, these go higher up to 2 levels so look quiet steep. The boards kept to guide us for navigation is still not up to the standard, has to be improved to electronic in the coming days. On reaching the platform one can see the track, that area is yet to be enclosed. Announcements are made on the upcoming trains and also displayed electronically. From Alandur to Saidapet the view of the city is splendid.



While reaching Saidapet station the train nose dives into the underground so the rest of the journey is covered in darkness outside. The coaches are well structured and looks spic and span so far. There is no separation between compartment. The lights in the train's route path in the coach guides our train travel. The first compartment is dedicated to ladies. Mobiles phones go waste as there is no signal available. In case of emergency, option is kept to call the train driver. Advertisement hoardings inside are kept minimal and not jarring. So sitting inside the train seems pleasant.



On reaching the destination the ticket given in the form of plastic coin will have to be dropped at exit to go out. Ticket costs Rs.50 from Alandur to Mannady. Again lifts an escalators operate to take you up from the underground. When we made our exit at Mannady metro was smooth without requiring any help. While travelling back noticed that the under ground rail tracks are enclosed and doors open only when the train arrives to let you in. 



While waiting for the train we did not have enough seating options, this may have been ignored due to more frequency of the trains. Also in the undergo station when there is no air conditioning available it becomes very difficult until the train arrives especially in this scorching summer. But for these it was an enjoying ride and a must need commutation for the city of Chennai. CMRL - the all new way to go!!!
Labels:
Location: Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Anjaneyar Temple - Gerugambakkam, Porur

 Very recently we came to know about the Anjaneyar temple built by actor Arjun is at Gerugambakkam. On a Sunday evening we drove towards this place. We need to detour from the Kundrathur main road to reach this temple and from then on we need to face a rough and patchy road. In just 5 minutes one can reach the temple. A small residential street leads to the temple. Very near it one could see few small stalls mushroomed up to sell pooja items. The vehicles have to be parked in the street near the temple gates. First is the corridor were few trees are seen.  On taking left is the entrance to the temple and you can see the Lord Anjaneyar much ahead. Here too are few trees uniformly spaced out. There is a coconut farm adjacent to this temple. There is a shelter above Lord Anjaneyar, but for that it is a open air temple. Facing Lord Anjaneyar and to the left and right corner are two shrines - one for Lord Ganesh and the other for Lord Anjaneyar's - Lord Rama, Lord Lakshmana and God...
Post a Comment
Read more

Mannargudi - Day 2

On the next day at Mannargudi, we had an early start. After having tea through room service we left to the  Rajagopalaswamy temple. The temple gopuram can be seen at a large distance as the from the space was allocated for parking. Early morning we could see only 2 cars before us. After paying the parking fee we went inside the temple. Due to the maintenance work we were devoid of enjoying the beauty of the temple gopurams. We got to see the temple's famous elephant - Sengamalam as soon as we got in. This temple is called as south Dwaraka, there is small Krishna statue inside which we can worship by taking in our hands.  The main deity Lord Vasudevaperumal is seen here along with his cow. Next to his the baby Krishna idol which can we worshipped by devotees for their special prayers. We had a good darshan of the Perumal. Had theertham, jadaari and then walked towards the Goddess. The consort of Lord Rajagopalaswamy is Goddess Sengamala Thaayar. We had a very peaceful...
Post a Comment
Read more

Naganathaswamy Temple - Keezhaperumpallam

This temple called as  Kethu Sthalam is near Poombhukar and Thikadaiyur. Naganathasamy is the name of the Sivan here. His  better half is Soundaranayagi. For Kethu there is a separate sannadhi in the temple. Thus becomes one of the temples dedicated to the 9 planet Gods. The way to the temple from the main road is quiet narrow but anyone in the road to whom you enquire the path will end up ask you to just keep going straight. One will first come of the parking space. There is ample space here for the incoming devotees vehicles. Very near parking is the temple tank called the Naga theertham. Next to this is the temple tree, opposite to which is the temple entrance.  Anugraha Vinayakar sinnadhi is first on the left hand side in the praharam. To the end end of the praharam, i.e. to the right side of the entrance is the Kethu sannadhi. There is no navagraha sannadhi since Kethu takes prominance in this temple. Do visit the temple and take Kethu's blessing for your well being....
Post a Comment
Read more