Avardi - Chingleput District Monorail

Avardi - Chingleput District Monorails

The Imperial Gazetteer of India for 1908 gives the following information:-

'Chingleput District surrounds Madras ..... The construction by private enterprise of tramways on five roads in the {Chingleput} District, four of which are close to Madras, has recently {pre 1908} been sanctioned. These tramways will be on Ewing's monorail system, and will be worked by horse and bullock power. One of them, from Poonamallee to the Avadi station on the Madras Railway, has already been opened'.

• Ewing monorail system. This monorail system had been in use with the Kundale Valley Light Railway from 1902 , and this was powered by bullocks. The Patiala State Monorail Trainways, a steam powered system followed. Unfortunately no records have yet located to indicate other locations where the Ewing system was adopted.
• Avardi-Poonamallee, the 'Avardi Poonamallee Main Road' connects Poonamallee, 5 miles(8km) south, these days by bus. It is assumed that this Tramway/Monorail had limited life - no further information has been found.
• Four other lines, These have not been identified.

There one a further reference concerning Taticonda Namberumal Chetty (1856-1925), a prominent General Contractor based in Madras.

'Namberumal gave charity to Brahmans in a grand and innovative manner. Thus, he 'ran a monorail service from Avadi to Namberumal meant only for "Iyengars" (Vaishnavite Brahmans) to reach an ancient temple there'

• Avardi-Thiruvallur, the main highway passes through Avardi to Thiruvallur, 13 miles(21km) to the west, these days by bus.It is assumed that this Tramway/Monorail had limited life - no further information has been found.