CHENNAI: Seven months after receiving regulatory clearance, the first operational stretch of Chennai Metro’s phase II expansion is set to open on October 11, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to inaugurate the 14.6-km corridor.
According to Chennai Metro Rail sources, the Prime Minister’s Office has conveyed the date to Chennai Metro Rail Limited, with Modi expected to inaugurate the stretch during his visit to Tamil Nadu.
The section, part of Corridor-4 or the Yellow Line, runs between Poonamallee Bypass and Vadapalani and is the first segment of the Phase II network to receive approval for commercial operations. The commissioner of Metro Railway Safety cleared the stretch for operations in February, paving the way for the launch after months of preparations.
The line will eventually form part of a larger east-west metro link connecting the rapidly expanding western suburbs with the rest of Chennai’s public transport network. The opening is expected to provide an alternative to the increasingly congested arterial roads in the western part of the city, while also improving connectivity to existing metro services.
At Vadapalani, passengers are expected to use the skywalk linking the new alignment with the existing Vadapalani metro station. Entry and exit works at the interchange are still under way.
According to state BJP sources, PM Modi is also likely to inaugurate the Vellore airport. While the party will receive him on his arrival in Chennai for the one-day programme, there are no official party programmes scheduled as of now.