Chennai Metro Phase II: Poonamallee-Vadapalani stretch set to open October 11

The first operational stretch of Chennai Metro’s Phase II expansion is set to open on October 11, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to inaugurate the 14.6-km Poonamallee Bypass-Vadapalani corridor.

According to Chennai Metro Rail sources, the Prime Minister’s Office has conveyed the date to Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL), with Modi expected to inaugurate the line during his visit to Tamil Nadu.

The section forms part of Corridor 4, or the Yellow Line, and is the first section of the Phase II network to receive approval for commercial operations, reported The New Indian Express.

The Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety cleared the stretch for operations in February, after which CMRL continued preparations for the start of passenger services.

The line is intended to connect Chennai’s rapidly developing western suburbs with the existing Metro network.

At Vadapalani, passengers are expected to use a skywalk linking the new alignment with the existing Vadapalani Metro station. Entry and exit works at the interchange are still under way.

The 14.64-km stretch is being opened as the first operational part of the wider Phase II network, which covers 118.9 km across three corridors.

The Poonamallee Bypass-Vadapalani section was earlier expected to open in February, but the inauguration remained pending while officials awaited confirmation of the prime minister’s schedule.

The new Metro link will provide an additional public transport option for commuters travelling between Poonamallee, Porur and Vadapalani, reducing dependence on the heavily used road network in western Chennai.

The corridor also provides an interchange with the existing Metro system at Vadapalani, although some access works at the station are still being completed.

The opening will mark the start of passenger operations on the first completed section of Chennai Metro’s Phase II project.