Evaluating the Impact of the Chennai Metro Rail System on Traffic Congestion and Travel Behavior in Chennai City

G H Raisoni College of Engineering, Nagpur, Maharashtra, INDIA

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published online: 1 July 2026

Abstract

Urbanization and the rising number of cars have exacerbated traffic jams, journeys, fuel usage, and pollution in big Indian cities. In response to these challenges, metros have become sustainable and high-capacity public transport networks. This study is an attempt to assess the effects of the Chennai Metro Rail System on urban traffic congestion and the travel behavior of commuters in the Chennai city through a multi-dimensional analytical framework that includes traffic engineering indicators, commuter perception surveys, spatial analysis and behavioral modeling. The findings show considerable decreases in the volumes of traffic at peak hour, travel times, Travel Time Index (TTI) and Volume-to-Capacity (V/C) ratios in metro-influenced corridors. There was a clear modal shift from cars, especially two-wheelers and vehicles to the use of metro services that helped alleviate congestion. An analysis of the Binary Logit Model revealed that travel time savings, service reliability and passenger comfort were important factors in the adoption of metros, and that access time to metro stations had a negative impact on metro use. The results indicate that for a metro system to be effective for sustainable urban mobility in the long term, it is essential that they are connected to the road networks and other modes of transport, and that fares are designed appropriately.