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PM Narendra Modi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay flag off the Poonamallee Bypass–Vadapalani stretch of Chennai Metro Phase 2 corridor, adding 11 stations to the city’s expanding network. (Img: X)
Chennai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Sunday inaugurated the first operational stretch of Chennai Metro Phase 2 connecting Poonamallee Bypass with Vadapalani, in a major boost to public transport in the city. The Prime Minister also purchased a paper ticket at the station counter and briefly interacted with an employee before boarding the Metro with Vijay. Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar was also present on the occasion.
The launch of the Poonamallee Bypass–Vadapalani stretch marks a significant milestone in Chennai’s urban transport expansion. The 15-km elevated corridor, buit at an estimated cost of over Rs 4,900 crore, includes 11 elevated stations and is designed to improve connectivity between Chennai’s western suburbs and the existing Metro network. The new link is expected to benefit office-goers, students, residents and other daily commuters who travel through areas such as Poonamallee, Kattupakkam and Porur.
Passenger services on the new stretch are scheduled to begin at 4 pm on October 11 and operate until 9 pm. From October 12, regular services are scheduled between 7 am and 9 pm in both directions.
Trains are scheduled to run every 10 minutes during peak hours, from 8 am to 11 am and from 5 pm to 8 pm, Monday to Saturday. During non-peak hours, the frequency will be 15 minutes. On Sundays and public holidays, trains are scheduled to operate every 15 minutes throughout the day.
The last train is scheduled to depart at 9 pm from both Poonamallee Bypass and Vadapalani terminals. Passengers should check official Chennai Metro Rail updates before travelling in case of any changes.
The newly operational stretch includes Poonamallee Bypass, Poonamallee Bus Stand, Poonamallee Government Hospital, Karayanchavadi, Kumananchavadi, Kattupakkam, Ayyappanthangal, Thelliyaragaram, Porur Bypass, Porur Junction and Vadapalani. The connection to Vadapalani will allow commuters to access the existing Phase 1 Metro network and continue their journeys to other parts of Chennai.
For residents of western Chennai, the corridor could offer an alternative to road travel, particularly during busy commuting hours. Better Metro connectivity may also improve access to workplaces, educational institutions, hospitals and commercial areas.
Chennai Metro Phase 2 incorporates advanced signalling systems designed to support driverless train operations. Such systems can help improve service management and operational efficiency, subject to the relevant commissioning and safety requirements.
One of the corridor’s distinctive features is a 3.7-km double-decker section between Porur Junction and Vadapalani. However, this section will not become operational immediately. Six stations along the stretch are yet to open, so commuters should not assume that the entire double-decker section is available for passenger travel.
The newly opened corridor is the first operational section of the wider 118.9-km Chennai Metro Phase 2 network, which is being developed across three corridors. Once completed, the expansion is expected to bring more neighbourhoods within reach of the city’s rapid transit system.
The Metro inauguration is part of a wider infrastructure programme during Modi’s one-day visit to Tamil Nadu. The Prime Minister is scheduled to inaugurate projects and lay foundation stones for development works worth more than Rs 13,000 crore across sectors spanning highways, railways, ports, petroleum infrastructure and scientific research.
Highway projects worth around Rs 3,700 crore are included in the programme. Railway initiatives valued at more than Rs 750 crore include the dedication of the Karaikal-Peralam railway line and three rail overbridges in Coimbatore and neighbouring areas.
The programme also covers measures to expand maritime infrastructure and cargo-handling capacity at Chennai Port, V.O. Chidambaranar Port and Kamarajar Port. These initiatives are intended to strengthen freight movement and logistics infrastructure.
In the petroleum sector, Modi is scheduled to lay the foundation stone for a Group II and Group III lube oil base stocks project at Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited’s Manali refinery.
