Chennai Metro Phase 2 has opened its first operational stretch, connecting Poonamallee Bypass with Vadapalani through a 15-km elevated corridor and linking the western suburbs to the existing Metro network. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the section on Sunday by flagging off the first driverless train at Porur Bypass station.
The new stretch, part of Corridor-4, has 11 stations and was built at a cost of Rs 4,900 crore. It provides an interchange with Chennai Metro’s Phase-1 services at Vadapalani, giving commuters from Poonamallee and surrounding western suburbs access to the existing network.
After the inauguration, the Prime Minister purchased a paper ticket at the station counter and travelled by train from Porur Bypass to Poonamallee Bypass and back. The train journey was accompanied by Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay, according to the report.
Regular passenger services on the newly opened section will begin at 4pm on Sunday and operate until 9pm. From Monday, trains will run between 7am and 9pm, with the last services departing from both terminals at 9pm.
During peak hours, trains will operate every 10 minutes from 8am to 11am and from 5pm to 8pm, Monday to Saturday. During non-peak hours, the frequency will be 15 minutes. On Sundays and public holidays, trains will run every 15 minutes throughout the day.
The operational section includes Poonamallee Bypass, Poonamallee Bus Stand, Poonamallee Government Hospital, Karayanchavadi, Kumananchavadi, Kattupakkam, Ayyappanthangal, Thelliyagaram, Porur Bypass, Porur Junction and Vadapalani.
The entire route between Poonamallee Bypass and Vadapalani is not opening at once. The 3.7-km double-decker section between Porur Junction and Vadapalani will remain partially unavailable initially, with six stations along that stretch yet to become operational. The newly opened services therefore cover the currently commissioned portion of the corridor, while the remaining stations await activation.
The section is the first operational component of Chennai Metro Phase 2, a 118.9-km network being developed across three corridors. The wider project is intended to expand Metro connectivity across Chennai, with the current opening providing the first passenger link under the Phase 2 programme.
For commuters, the immediate change is the availability of a scheduled Metro connection between Poonamallee Bypass and Vadapalani, subject to the stated operating hours and train frequencies. Further expansion of the corridor will depend on the commissioning of the remaining stations, including those in the double-decker section between Porur Junction and Vadapalani.
