Chennai Metro Rail’s Phase II entered passenger service on Sunday with the opening of the 15-km Poonamallee–Vadapalani stretch, giving commuters a new east-west connection through the city’s western suburbs. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay inaugurated the first train at Porur Bypass Road metro station before travelling on the route.
Passenger services on the stretch began at 4 p.m. on October 11. The initial operating window is from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., shorter than the 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. schedule on Chennai Metro’s Phase I network. Chennai Metro Rail Limited said the restricted hours would allow construction work to continue at six stations between Porur Junction and Vadapalani: Alapakkam, Karambakkam, Valasaravakkam, Alwarthirunagar, Saligramam Warehouse and Saligramam.
Fifteen trains will operate on the Poonamallee–Vadapalani stretch during the initial period. Trains will run every 10 minutes during peak hours, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. During non-peak periods, services will operate at 15-minute intervals. The frequency is expected to be improved after the civil work at the six stations is completed, according to the information released by CMRL.
The opening follows a six-year construction and approval process. The Tamil Nadu government gave in-principle approval for Phase II in January 2019, while the foundation stone was laid in November 2020. Piling work on the elevated Poonamallee–Vadapalani section began in July 2021 along Arcot Road. The Union Cabinet approved the Phase II project in October 2024, the same month that the first driverless train arrived at the Poonamallee depot.
CMRL completed the viaduct between Poonamallee and Porur in March 2025 and conducted a trial run from Poonamallee to Porur the following month. The Railway Board approved the signalling system in December 2025, followed by a trial run from Porur Junction to Vadapalani in January 2026. The Commissioner of Railway Safety conducted an inspection in February and issued conditional approval, with final authorisation for operations granted in May 2026.
The inauguration formed part of a wider programme during the Prime Minister’s visit to Chennai. Development projects worth more than ₹13,000 crore were inaugurated, dedicated or launched across Metro Rail, highways, railways, ports, petroleum and scientific research. Modi also visited the Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre at IIT Madras and attended programmes at the institute.
The Greater Chennai Traffic Police imposed diversions for commercial and heavy vehicles between 8 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. on Sunday along parts of the GST Road–Mount Poonamallee Road corridor. Police deployed a five-tier security arrangement involving 15,000 officers and personnel, while restrictions on drones and other unmanned aerial objects were enforced around the Prime Minister’s venues and travel routes.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay said at the public function that cooperation between the State and Centre would benefit people. The next operational milestone for the newly opened metro stretch is the completion of the remaining civil works at the six stations, after which CMRL plans to review and improve service frequency.
