Chandigarh metro: 3,376 trees to be axed for two-coach tricity metro project

This has been mentioned while analysing environmental effects.

These trees will be pulled down across three corridors as planned.

A senior officer of the Chandigarh Administration said, “This is just the AAR report which mentions only the estimated number. The DPR (Detailed project report) is considered the Bible. The actual number shall be reflected in that. And these shall be all along the elevated levels only.”

Corridor 1 — Paroul, New Chandigarh to Sector 28, Panchkula — starts from Paroul, New Chandigarh and runs along Kurali-Chandigarh Road, Madhya Marg, Railway Station Road, Manimajra, Maheshpur Road, Nada Sahib Road, Amartex Road, Sector 20 Road, Panchkula extension and terminates at Sector 28, Panchkula.

This corridor will be 30.75-km-long starting from (-)350 m and running up to 30,400m. The corridor from Paroul to Panjab University has been planned as elevated, from Panjab University to Sector 26 as underground and from Sector 26 to Sector 28, Panchkula, as elevated. The total length of underground section here will be 6.10 km and that of elevated section is 24.65 km.

Here, a total of 26 stations have been provided on the corridor, comprising 20 stations as elevated and six stations as underground. Other than this, a maintenance depot has been planned in Paroul, New Chandigarh and Stabling Depot has been planned in Sector 24, Panchkula.

Then comes the Corridor 2 which is from Sukhna Lake to Sector 20/21, Panchkula. This corridor starts from Sukhna Lake and runs along Uttar Marg, Jan Marg, Udyog Path, Himalaya Marg, Airport Road, Aerocity Road, NH-7, NH-5 and terminate at Sector 20/21, Panchkula. The length of the corridor is 34.40 km.

According to the report, from Sukhna Lake to Sector 43/44, the corridor is planned as underground and from Sector 43/33 to Sector 20/21 Panchkula as elevated. The total length of underground section is 9.75 km and that of elevated section is 24.65 km.

It also says that a spur to Chandigarh Airport has been planned from Airport Chowk station. The length of the spur is 5.10 km and is planned as elevated. No separate maintenance depot/stabling depot has been planned for this Corridor 2, as per the report.

A total of 31 stations have been provided on this corridor and spur, comprising 22 stations as elevated and nine stations as underground.

Then in the Corridor 3, which is from Transport Chowk to Grain Market Chowk, the corridor starts from Transport Chowk and runs along Purav Marg and Vikas Marg and terminates at Grain Market, Sector 39, Chandigarh. This corridor is 13.55 km long starting from (-)250 m and running upto 13300m and is planned as elevated. A total of 11 stations have been provided on the corridor and shall be completely elevated, as per the report.

Noise generated

Noise generated from the metro shall be 66.4 db (A) considering the speed of 90 KMPH.

A city known for its vast walking spaces sees 80 per cent vehicular trips . And 20 per cent are walk trips by people.

Of the vehicular trips, it was observed during the study for the AAR that 34 per cent trips are performed by two-wheelers. About 50 per cent vehicular trips were for work and business purposes while 10 per cent walk trips are for the same. As many as 35 per cent of vehicular trips are for educational purposes and 11 per cent trips are for shopping and recreation purpose.

About 26.3 lakh motorised internal trips are being made within the city by various modes, it was observed.

Two-coach metro

The report stated that only metro (two-coach) systems will continue to cater to the peak-hour passenger demand much beyond 2056 attributed to its higher carrying capacity.