Chennai Metro Phase 2: Construction of 20 Kms Network Across City Completed

Phase 2 of the Chennai Metro Rail project has been completed for a total of 20 km in various parts of the city and suburbs, connecting at least 25 localities.

Construction on the project began three and a half years ago. This consists of the corridors’ upline and downline portions, spanning 10 km above ground and 10.77 km underground.

There are three corridors in the 116.1 km Phase 2 with 118 stations, one of which is a 42.6 km subterranean segment connected by 45 stations.

Meanwhile, a Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) official stated that the lines are being installed in small sections on a piecemeal basis. “Construction of around 47 stations is also underway. At some stations, the entry/exit work is underway and in some other stations, construction of substructure or superstructure is in progress. They are in various stages,” the official said as quoted by The Times of India.

Furthermore, the elevated viaducts and underground tunnels have connected Manapakkam, Mugalivakkam, Ramapuram, Kovilambakkam, Perumbakkam, Porur, Thelliagaram, Iyyappanthangal, Kattupakkam, Poonamallee, Alapakkam, Shastri Nagar, Retteri, PTC Colony, Okkiyampet, Karapakkam, Okkiyam Thoraipakkam, Vadapalani, Madhavaram, and Venugopal Nagar to each other.

Construction on the massive 61,843 crore project commenced on November 21, 2020. Earlier, M A Siddique, CMRL’s Managing Director (MD), stated that Phase 2 would be completed in stages between 2026 and 2028.

According to Times Now, the length connecting Porur and Poonamallee is expected to be the first to open before the end of 2025. Additionally, the Thirumayilai metro, which will serve as an interchange between corridors 3 and 4, and the stations nearby, will be the last to open in 2028.

To speed up construction and ensure that work on any one corridor was not hampered by a stall in another, CMRL divided the three corridors’ work into smaller segments and issued construction contracts for each, reports state.

In parts of certain already-barricaded regions, like OMR and Mylapore, construction has not yet started. Due to issues with contract awarding, OMR’s work on the segment from Sholinganallur to Siruseri SIPCOT was stopped.

According to CMRL authorities, OMR construction will shortly get underway. Additionally, officials in Mylapore claimed work on one part had been halted after some shopkeepers filed a judicial challenge to their eviction order.