CHENNAI: Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) will kick off the process of acquiring 60 acres of land for its latest expansion - a 15.5km southern corridor that will connect Chennai Airport with the Kilambakkam bus terminus (KCBT).
The move comes after the state granted in-principle approval for the Phase-I extension on April 17.
The tracks in this corridor will be built as a double-decker flyover - an elevated road on the first level with the metro line above it. The alignment will largely follow GST Road in an attempt to minimise disruption and reduce the need for extensive land acquisition.
CMRL has confirmed that 28 acres required for the project is privately owned, while the remaining 30 acres belong to various government departments. Officials are expected to negotiate with private landowners near Pallavaram and Perungulathur, and with central authorities for access to defence land near the airport.
A senior CMRL official said the land acquisition process will commence once the state releases the necessary funds. A land plan will then be prepared, and property owners will be informed through public advertisements.
The extension is part of a revised project report submitted by CMRL, and increases the original estimate to `9,335 crore due to the added complexity and integrated design of the route.
The Kilambakkam bus terminus-already in operation-is emerging as a key transport hub in the southern corridor, handling a growing volume of long-distance bus traffic. Once linked by metro, it is expected to play a central role in Chennai’s broader transit ecosystem.
Although the final clearance from the centre is pending, the state has authorised CMRL to begin technical surveys and other preparatory activities to keep up momentum. The proposal has been forwarded to the centre under a cost-sharing model commonly used for large-scale urban transport projects in India.