CHENNAI: Chennai Metro Rail Limited has received regulatory clearance to commission the first operational segment of its Phase II expansion, with the Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety authorising services on a 14.6-km stretch of Corridor-4 (Yellow Line) between Poonamallee Bypass and Vadapalani.
The approval, granted by the Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety, comes with operating restrictions during an initial stabilisation period. Trains on the Poonamallee Bypass-Porur Junction section, with 10 stations, will run at 15-minute intervals, while the onward stretch from Porur Junction towards Vadapalani will see only one train operated in each direction at speeds below 25 kmph, effectively limiting frequency to around one train every 20 minutes.
These constraints are to remain in place for about a month, after which services may be scaled up subject to performance and safety reviews.
The safety regulator has also linked the full commissioning of the Porur Junction-Vadapalani section to progress on Corridor-5, stipulating that operations can begin only after the completion of 26 deck slabs in the double-decker portion of that corridor. The civil works are expected to be completed by March 25, according to project timelines.
For Chennai Metro Rail Limited, the clearance marks a critical milestone: this is the first stretch of the Phase II network to receive authorisation for passenger services. While the phased rollout underscores the complexity of building and certifying interlinked corridors, it also signals the transition of the long-gestating Phase II project from construction to operations.
Once fully commissioned, Corridor-4 is expected to play a key role in improving east-west connectivity in the city's rapidly expanding western suburbs, easing pressure on arterial roads and integrating with the broader metro network over time.
