CHENNAI: Working round the clock with an unprecedented mobilisation of men and machinery, CMRL is racing against time to complete a six-km stretch linking Vadapalani with the Poonamallee depot under Phase II, aiming to begin trial runs by mid January, said CMRL director MA Siddique.
Nearly 4,000 workers have been deployed along the corridor, reflecting the scale and urgency of the effort to open the city’s first operational segment of the double-decker metro network. About 3,000 workers are engaged in viaduct and deck slab construction, 600 in track-laying, and the remaining 400 in traction and signalling works, Siddique said. Commercial operations are being targeted for end-January or early February.
To meet the deadline, Chennai Metro has pressed 57 cranes into service-far above the usual eight. “With a target to complete works ahead of trial runs, we are leaving no stone unturned,” Siddique said, adding work planning and task allocation are reviewed daily. Seven dedicated teams are handling track-laying, with manpower diverted from Corridors 3 and 5 to accelerate progress on Corridor 4. “On average, around 300 metres of track are being laid every day,” the official said.
A substantial portion of the work has been completed in the last four months, despite the engineering complexity of the double-decker configuration. Designing deck slabs and I-girders for such a viaduct is technically demanding, T Archunan, director (projects), CMRL, said, as two heavy, moving transport systems must operate safely within tight geometric and construction constraints.
Track-laying on the structure requires exceptional precision, vibration control, safety oversight and logistical coordination. “This level of intensive work is rarely undertaken anywhere,” Archunan added. Initially, there will be no intermediate stations between Vadapalani and Porur. Stations along the stretch are expected to be ready by June. Until then, passengers boarding at Vadapalani will have their first halt at Porur, Siddique said, adding visible progress at Vadapalani station would be evident in the next 10 days.
Chennai Metro had originally planned to open the first Phase II section-the 9.5-km Poonamallee-Porur stretch-in December. That plan was delayed due to the pending speed certificate from the Railway Design and Standards Organisation. Siddique said an interim certificate has now been received and work on the stretch is 99% complete. For the Vadapalani-Porur section, which has mild curves, clearance from the RSDO will be relatively easy.