CHENNAI: Chennai Metro Rail has commenced trial operations along the 9.1km stretch from Poonamallee to Porur, part of its Rs 63,246 crore ($7.6bn) Phase II expansion, on Monday evening.
The launch of the testing on the entire stretch follows initial trials conducted in March on a shorter segment between Poonamallee and Mullaithottam. Speaking after the latest tests, MA Siddique, managing director of Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL), hailed the development as a “major breakthrough.”
CMRL officials acknowledge that ridership on the new stretch may initially be subdued. True network effects, they argue, will only materialise once connectivity is extended eastward to Kodambakkam Power House - where it will interlink with the Vadapalani station on the operational Green Line - creating a passenger corridor from the suburban west to the heart of Chennai.
“This remains one of our most challenging engineering tasks,” Siddique said, referring specifically to the construction of a complex 4km double-decker viaduct between Alapakkam and Alwarthirunagar. “That portion will take longer. Our target is to commission it by mid-next year, while simultaneously connecting Koyambedu and the Chennai Trade Centre by mid-June.”
Siddique, however, stopped short of offering concrete deadlines.
“We are trying to accelerate the works of the stretch from Porur to Vadapalani, but it is too early to commit. A clearer picture should emerge within two to three months,” he said.
The Poonamallee-Porur section not only connects residential and commercial zones but also provides vital logistical support via the Poonamallee Metro Depot, designed to be the operational nerve centre for train testing, maintenance, and future expansions westward.
In operational terms, CMRL is adopting a phased commissioning strategy. Initial trials have been conducted at speeds between 15km/h and 20km/h, with higher speeds expected as tests advance. Station construction along the corridor is nearing completion, with work scheduled to conclude over the next two to three months.
Siddique noted that while the stretch is built to accommodate six-coach trains, initial operations will commence with three-coach formations, with scope for scaling capacity based on ridership growth.
This flexible model reflects lessons learnt from Phase I, where capacity planning and passenger adoption patterns offered insights into Chennai’s evolving commuting behaviours.