It was too good to last. Just when we thought the Chennai Metrorail had not gone the way of the MRTS when it comes to station design, it transpires that the same blunder is going to be repeated. A news report has it as far as the ongoing phase II is concerned, CMRL stations are going to be planned on a giant scale, rather on the lines of what was done for MRTS. The logic for this too is identical. Will we never learn from past mistakes?
As per the Hindu dated November 17, 2025, CMRL is planning to develop over 3,000,000 square feet of office and retail space at its phase two stations. The report goes on to say that while huge towers will come up at Chennai Central, Mandaveli, Thousand Lights and Thirumangalam stations, CMRL will build additional floors for use as office and commercial spaces at stations including Nungambakkam, Royapettah, Adyar depot and Tirumayilai. The usual reasons that are normally given out when commercial space is to be developed have been gone through. These include the fact that the extra floors on top of the stations will be hired out as office and retail space so that people will be saved the job of commuting far from the stations themselves.
All very good on paper no doubt. But CMRL would do well to think about what happened to the MRTS stations. These were developed as huge barn-like structures with vast spaces in them with precisely the same reasons. And without exception all of them ended up as failures. Not one shop or commercial entity was interested. One of the key reasons for that could have been the low patronage extended to MRTS owing to the enormous delays in the construction and then the poor routing which deterred commuters from using the service. CMRL with its faster delivery and it’s more comprehensive coverage can certainly hope for better utilization of its retail space but will it overcome the standard poor maintenance that is associated with government-run facilities?
In case the CMRL stations become successes it would truly be a feather in the government’s cap. But if they fail, then there are going to be enormous issues associated with safety and maintenance at such unoccupied spaces. It will be recalled that there have been accidents at MRTS facilities owing to precisely the same reasons.
CMRL would also do well to consider that the government has announced that all properties within 500 meters of metro stations will benefit from higher FSI going up to five times. This will mean that a lot more real estate will turn commercial and will be offered for rent and sale. Does Chennai have the wherewithal to absorb so much of new capacity in the commercial or residential market especially at a time when there has not been much industrial growth in the city itself?
One of the key reasons behind the success of the phase I stations was their sheer manageability. There was not much commute between entry and the concourse and the spaces being small have had excellent maintenance and lighting. There has also been much praise for the fact that the stations themselves do not deter from the surroundings and being of low height, blend beautifully with the localities. This is particularly important in places that have several heritage buildings.
If monstrosities are to come up in places like Thousand Lights, Nungambakkam and Tirumayilai there is every likelihood that the heritage structures in these places will be dwarfed. While this may not be a prime consideration when there is the enticement of commercial development, it is also necessary to keep this requirement in mind when planning for the future.