Like Kokura Station in Japan or Chongqing in China, Thirumangalam station will emerge as a place where people can shop, dine, or work on one floor and then catch a ride on the Chennai Metro Rail network on another.
In a couple of months, Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) will start the construction of four towers in Thirumangalam. According to CMRL officials, they have floated bids for the massive project, which is located opposite to the Anna Nagar West Depot, near the Phase I Thirumangalam Metro station. Sprawling over 3.85 acres, the project will comprise the Phase II Thirumangalam Metro station and four towers. While Towers A and C will have three basements, a ground floor, and nine upper floors, the station will be in Tower B, which will have a ground floor and nine upper floors. Tower D will have a ground floor and two upper floors.
In Tower B, the third floor will have the concourse and the platforms will be on the fourth floor. While ground floors will have retail and convenience stores in Towers A, B, and C, the first and second floors have been earmarked for commercial development similar to malls, and floors five to nine will have dedicated office spaces.
T. Archunan, Director (projects), CMRL, said they drew inspiration from mass rapid transit systems in Japan. “Kokura Station is a classic example for transit-oriented development. Based on the land availability, we are taking efforts to incorporate this strategy in as many locations as possible. But Thirumangalam will stand out as a great example for transit-oriented development since trains pass through buildings, making the commute seamless for people. All they have to do is switch floors to take the train,” he added.
