About 80% of the work completed, say CMRL sources
One of the key facilities for maintenance of trains, the Wimco Nagar depot remains under construction even after the phase I extension was inaugurated in February this year.
According to officials of Chennai Metro Rail Ltd. (CMRL), more than 80% of the work has been completed, including laying of tracks, and the facility was expected to be operational by the end of this year. “We are trying to speed up work. The overhead electrical and signalling work is being done, apart from some civil work. This depot is spread over 3.5 hectares of land and built to have 10 stabling lines to park 10 trains and one line each for inspecting a train and repairing one,” an official said.
Also, there is an automatic train wash facility under construction, the officials said. It would take about half an hour to wash a train in this facility.
“It will be convenient to have this depot ready at the earliest because trains operated in the 9-km phase I extension project have to be shunted from Koyambedu depot every day and sent back. Even for simple repairs, the trains are taken there now,” he added.
CMRL plans to build a multi-storey building over this elevated depot which can be leased out as office space to augment its revenue. In addition to this, there will be a car parking area in the depot.
A small platform would be built in this depot as it will be the final stop for commuters using the stretch.
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