Chennai Metro Phase II Achieves 40 Per Cent Progress; First Stretch Of 9 Km Elevated Section Set To Open By December 2025

The Chennai Metro Rail Phase II project, a crucial infrastructure development aimed at enhancing urban mobility, has achieved 40.41 per cent physical progress and 32.74 per cent financial progress, according to Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Tokhan Sahu, as reported by The Hindu.

The minister’s response came in Lok Sabha earlier this month when DMK MP Kalanidhi Veeraswamy inquired about the status of the project.

Overview of Phase II Expansion

The Rs 63,246 crore project spans 118.9 km and consists of three corridors:

• Corridor 3 – Madhavaram to SIPCOT

The Phase II expansion will include 128 stations, with a mix of elevated and underground sections to cater to Chennai’s growing transport needs.

Progress and Expected Completion

The first stretch of the project set to open for passenger services is the 9 km elevated section from Poonamallee to Porur on Corridor 4. Officials have stated that this segment is expected to be operational by December 2025, with station construction and track work currently in progress.

Following this, an extension from Porur to Kodambakkam is expected to become operational within a few months after the first section opens.

Challenges in Underground Construction

While elevated sections have made significant progress, underground construction remains slow due to its complexity. So far, only 19 km of the planned 50.5 km of tunnelling has been completed.

Corridor 3, which is predominantly underground, faced a major setback when an early-stage station construction tender was cancelled, leading to delays in both Corridor 3 and a small section of Corridor 5.