Infrastructure
Chennai Metro Back On Track: CMRL Resumes Work On Sholinganallur-SIPCOT Stretch For Phase II
The Chennai Metro. (CMRL)
Chennai Metro Rail’s construction along a section of the Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) is set to resume after months of suspension. The construction along OMR, which falls under corridor 3. It covers the northern parts of the city and a significant portion of the OMR.
Although work commenced between Sholinganallur and SIPCOT, it was halted due to the termination of a subcontractor's contract for unspecified reasons. The work is being carried out through two separate contracts — Nehru Nagar-Sholinganallur and Sholinganallur-SIPCOT.
This development is part of the Rs 61,843-crore Phase II project, which includes three corridors currently in various stages of construction: Madhavaram to SIPCOT (Corridor 3), Light House to Poonamallee (Corridor 4), and Madhavaram to Sholinganallur (Corridor 5).
Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) officials have confirmed that a new subcontractor has been engaged. A small ceremony was held a few days ago to mark the beginning of the piling work, and full-scale construction is expected to start shortly. “We are expecting more equipment, like piling rigs, to arrive in the next few days. It will take some time for the work to pick up speed, but we don’t foresee any issues similar to those in the underground stretches,” an official stated, reports The Hindu.
While piling work has already begun on a major part of the stretch, progress near SIPCOT has been minimal. Officials said the subcontractor would focus on both areas simultaneously. “Where the piling work has started, they will resume the pile cap work. Towards SIPCOT, they will begin with the piling work,” the report added.
The disruption in construction has caused a delay of about 3-4 months. “The new contractor can make up for the lost time to some extent. However, there may still be some delays. We are trying our best to minimise them,” the official added.
CMRL plans to build the Nehru Nagar-SIPCOT portion as a fully elevated stretch with 19 stations.
The stretch from Sholinganallur to SIPCOT is expected to be opened by 2027, provided there are no delays in the upcoming months.
Some stretches, such as Poonamallee-Porur and Madhavaram-Retteri, are likely to be the first to be opened to the public by 2026.
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