Chennai Metro Phase 2 commuters are seeking longer operating hours, more frequent trains and better crowd management on the Vadapalani–Poonamallee Bypass stretch, hours after Chennai Metro Rail Limited extended morning services by one hour. The newly opened stretch currently operates from 6am to 9pm, while passengers say the limited schedule and crowded trains are making daily travel difficult.
Office commuters and air passengers have urged CMRL to bring Phase 2 timings in line with the Phase 1 network, which operates from 5am to 11pm. Students have also asked the operator to increase peak-hour frequency from 10 minutes to six minutes, matching the frequency available on Phase 1 services.
Passengers said crowding was particularly difficult at Vadapalani, where commuters transfer between the two networks. R Vinod, a student from Porur, said trains remained crowded even when passengers waited for the next service. He also alleged that poor crowd management was leading to passengers rushing into trains before others had exited, creating stampede-like situations.
Vinod called for queues and regulated boarding at the station. The concerns point to a passenger-management challenge at an interchange where Phase 1 and Phase 2 services meet. The station’s role as a transfer point means that the frequency and timing of one network can directly affect waiting times and crowd levels on the other.
K Santosh, an office-goer from Iyyappanthangal, said mismatched timings between the two services increased the time required to change platforms. He said synchronised schedules, along with more frequent trains, would make the interchange more convenient for passengers travelling between the western suburbs and other parts of Chennai.
Limited operating hours are also affecting passengers travelling to the airport. A Prabhakar, an IT employee from Porur, said Phase 1’s early-morning services were useful for air passengers and urged CMRL to consider extending the Phase 2 schedule as well. The request is particularly relevant to passengers who need to reach the airport before the first Phase 2 service begins.
A CMRL official said there had been no discussion yet on extending operating hours or increasing train frequency. The official said non-operational hours were being used to complete civil works on the double-decker corridor and other unfinished works, while driverless trains were also being tested on the Vadapalani–Poonamallee Bypass stretch.
For now, CMRL’s stated position leaves the current 6am-to-9pm schedule and 10-minute peak-hour frequency unchanged. The authority’s next decision will depend on the progress of the remaining civil works and testing activities on the Phase 2 corridor.
