Chennai Metro Phase II Expansion Faces Setbacks on Koyambedu-Alandur Corridor

Logistical Roadblocks Delay Completion

Commuters in Chennai will have to wait longer than anticipated for the expansion of the city's rapid transit network. The Phase II segment connecting Koyambedu to the Chennai Trade Centre, originally targeted for a June launch, is now facing a delay of roughly eight months. Officials from Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) confirmed that they intend to include the Alandur station in this rollout, pushing the operational debut of the Koyambedu-Alandur stretch into early next year.

Construction progress on this section of Corridor 5—which eventually links Madhavaram to Sholinganallur—was slowed by a significant shortage of manpower. Engineers also cited the technical difficulty of relocating sewer lines and limited overnight work windows as factors that hindered the timeline. Despite these hurdles, CMRL reports that efforts have intensified recently.

Infrastructure Milestones and Remaining Tasks

While the project has faced setbacks, several engineering milestones are nearing completion. Key updates include:

• The viaduct structure is almost entirely finished.
• Crews have successfully laid approximately 16 kilometers of track.
• Installation of overhead electrical equipment is currently in progress.

The primary focus now shifts to the complex task of building entry and exit points for the stations. Civil works are expected to wrap up by the end of October. Once physical construction concludes, a three-month phase dedicated to signaling, telecommunications, and trial runs will begin, followed by mandatory safety inspections and final certifications.

System Integration and Pending Clearances

The delay on the Koyambedu-Alandur line follows a similar stall on the Poonamallee to Vadapalani stretch of Corridor 4. Although the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) has already cleared this earlier segment, it remains unopened as the State government awaits an official inauguration date from Central authorities. While trains are cleared to stop at all stations between Poonamallee and Porur, they will skip six intermediate stops—Alapakkam, Karambakkam, Valasaravakkam, Alwarthirunagar, Saligramam Warehouse, and Saligramam—which require another three months of work.

When these new spans eventually join the network, the integration will allow passengers to move between Phase I and Phase II lines through interchange hubs at Koyambedu, Vadapalani, and Alandur, significantly expanding the transit reach across the metropolitan area.

Source: The Hindu — News