Chennai: Despite CMRL’s problems with train services in the last week due to signaling issues and employee strikes, the good news is that Thirumangalam and Koyambedu Metro stations in the neighbourhood have generated good revenue through parking charges.
Koyambedu Metro station with an average of 723 vehicles parked per day, occupies the third spot in terms of revenue yielded through parking and Thirumangalam Metro station ranks next with an average of 613 vehicles parked per day.
Vadapalani tops the list with an average of 1,821 vehicles being parked a day, followed by Alandur where 915 vehicles are parked on average. According to reports, the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) gets nearly Rs 1.92 lakh a month as parking revenue.
Metro Rail officials said, “Those coming from Mugappair West, Golden George Nagar, Maduravoyal or Nolambur park their vehicles at Koyambedu station. Those traveling from Mugappair East leave their vehicles at Thirumangalam Metro station and take the train. Thirumangalam station is, in fact, one of the busiest underground stations.”
With so many takers for Metro in and around Mugappair residents wonder why the neighbourhood was not included in Phase II of Metro plans. Kalpana, a resident of JJ Nagar, travels to Thirumangalam station on her two-wheeler to take the Metro. She said, “A lot of people in Mugappair East, Padi and surrounding areas take Metro from here. It was a disappointment when stations in Mugappair was removed from the Phase II proposal.”
Upon inspection of Metro’s parking facility in Thirumangalam, News Today also discovered that it is not just the Metro train users who make use of the space. Shoppers who throng the Second Avenue Anna Nagar also leave their bikes and cars parked at the station due to lack of parking space on the main road.
Kalpana said, “Though just enough space is available now for the vehicles, sometimes it does get full at Thirumangalam. So the officials must ensure that first priority is given to Metro train users.”