There is good news for commuters at underground metro stations in the city as Chennai Metro plans to set up food kiosks and stalls at these stations, according to a report in The Times of India.
Besides commuters, even those passing by can quickly grab a meal, said officials.
The food stalls will be set up in the non-paid area in the ticketing or concourse level of the underground stations, a metro rail official told TOI.
“We are making certain modifications to the structure to set up the food stalls. By the end of December or beginning of January, we will have stalls in some stations,” the official said.
The underground line from Nehru Park to Thirumangalam was formally opened to the public on May 14, 2017.
A few well-known food brands have set up their outlets in elevated stations like Alandur, Vadapalani and Koyambedu, that have seen generous footfalls.
They have been set up in the non-paid area of the ticketing level or near the station entrance, making it convenient for commuters and passersby to grab a quick snack, the report says.
Similarly, stations like Anna Nagar East, Thirumangalam and Shenoy Nagar see good footfalls in the underground section of the Metro.
The average number of commuters taking the Metro has seen a rise from 12,000 to 24,000 a day after the underground section was thrown open to the public this May.
“Commuters cannot stay in the station for long once they buy a ticket and have to move to the paid area beyond the automated fare collection gates. So, we will have the stalls in the non-paid area for anyone to walk in and eat,” an official told TOI.
The official added that the task of bringing in the brands has been assigned to a company and many big brands have shown interest although nothing has been finalised so far.