CHENNAI: The Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) will begin phased operations on the Poonamallee Bypass-Vadapalani stretch of Corridor 4, with full passenger services expected by mid-February, subject to statutory safety clearances, managing director MA Siddique said on Sunday.
Addressing reporters after the first trial run on downline from Porur to Vadapalani, Siddique said the newly completed elevated viaduct and track works between Porur and Vadapalani had been among the most challenging segments of Phase II, given the presence of over a 3.5 km stretch double-decker structures and dense urban development.
And, up-line trial runs from Kodambakkam Power House to Porur Junction are scheduled to be conducted within the next few days.
Siddique said the Porur-Power House section was originally planned for completion only by June 2026, but additional works were taken up in advance to provide early connectivity between Porur and Vadapalani. For the next three to five months, trains will halt only at Vadapalani, with intermediate stations being opened in stages as works are completed.
From Vadapalani, passengers can disembark the train, walk on the underconstruction skywalk to connect to the existing phase 1 Vadapalani Metro station. Also, passengers will use the Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) gates of phase 1 station, until new AFC gates are installed at the new Vadapalani station.
“An interim speed certificate had been issued after initial testing in June, after inspections by the Commissioner of Railway Safety on December 30 and 31. The CMRL expects to receive the permanent speed certificate from the Railway Board this week. This will be followed by a final safety inspection and authorisation to commence passenger services,” he said.
During the initial phase, services between Porur and Vadapalani will take about 20 minutes due to speed restrictions and manual operations. After the shift to an automatic signalling system in four to five months, the travel time is expected to reduce to around 10 minutes. End-to-end travel from Poonamallee to Vadapalani is expected to take about 25 minutes once fully operational.
CMRL plans to deploy around 10 trainsets on the corridor. “Initial frequency is likely to range between 7 and 15 minutes. Frequency will be adjusted during peak hours based on crowd and traffic patterns,” Siddique said.