Hon'ble PM Shri Narendra Modi ji inaugurates Poonamallee - Vadapalani Metro line

 

Chennai Metro: Another Landmark in the City's Journey!

11 October 2026 — A landmark day for Chennai

Today, 11 October 2026, is a landmark day for the residents of Chennai. More than a decade ago, on 29 June 2015, Chennai residents got their first feel of Metro rail in their own city. Today, another significant chapter has been added to the city's evolving public transport network.

One common feature of every major city is its bustling traffic, and Chennai is no exception. The metropolis is growing rapidly, and traffic volumes on its roads have been increasing enormously. The need for efficient, reliable and comfortable public transport has never been greater.

From Electric Trains to Metro Rail

The history of Chennai's electric railways dates back to nearly a century ago. Way back in 1930, the first consignment of 25 electric carriages arrived from England, heralding a transformation in the life of Madras, as Chennai was then known. The first electrically operated suburban rail service in Madras commenced on 2 April 1931, between Madras Beach and Tambaram, inaugurated by Sir George Fredrick Stanley, the then Governor of Madras. The service was opened to the general public shortly thereafter.

Chennai has a fairly extensive suburban railway network, popularly known as the Electric Trains. These are Electrical Multiple Units (EMUs), operating on alternating current (AC) drawn from overhead cables. As of 2013, the suburban railway network reportedly operated 580 services, including 250 on the Beach–Tambaram section, 240 on the Central–Tiruvallur section, and 90 on the Central–Gummidipoondi section.

The Chennai Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS), popularly known as the Parakkum Rail, entered the scene much later. Built at a cost of ₹11,710 million, the line runs from Chennai Beach to Velachery, covering a distance of 19.34 km.

Though it promised much, the MRTS initially struggled to attract passengers. When the first phase, between Beach and Chepauk, opened in November 1995, patronage was disappointing. Passenger numbers improved somewhat when the line was extended towards Mylapore.

From my home, we could literally watch trains running almost empty, carrying little more than the people required to operate them! Happily, things have changed for the better over the years, and the MRTS has become an important part of Chennai's transport system.

Chennai Metro: A New Era of Commuting

Metro Rail has been a boon to Chennai. The Blue and Green Lines have attracted considerable patronage and made travel across the city much easier. For visitors arriving from towns and villages, the Metro is often a marvel in itself — a modern, convenient and comfortable way of travelling through a bustling metropolis.

The Blue Line connects Wimco Nagar with Chennai Airport, while the Green Line connects Chennai Airport with Puratchi Thalaivar Dr M.G. Ramachandran Central Metro station. Together, these lines have transformed the way many people move around Chennai, connecting several important residential, commercial and transport hubs.

Another Milestone: The Yellow Line Opens

Today, yet another stretch of the Chennai Metro has been inaugurated — the 15-km Poonamallee–Vadapalani section of Corridor 4, forming part of the larger Lighthouse–Poonamallee corridor.

Our Hon'ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modiji, inaugurated the new stretch today and travelled on the Metro along with the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Mr C. Joseph Vijay.

The newly operational section of Phase II's Corridor 4 has 11 stations open to passengers, including Poonamallee, Karayanchavadi, Kumananchavadi, Kattupakkam, Iyyappanthangal and Porur, before reaching Vadapalani.

Initially, train services on this stretch are scheduled to operate from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM. This limited operating window allows construction work to continue at night at six intermediate stations — Alapakkam, Karambakkam, Valasaravakkam, Alwarthirunagar, Saligramam Warehouse and Saligramam — before they are opened to the public.

Once fully completed, Corridor 4 will have 27 stations, comprising nine underground and 18 elevated stations, connecting Poonamallee with Lighthouse. The route will serve several important localities, including Kutchery Road, Thirumylai, Alwarpet, Nandanam, Panagal Park and Kodambakkam.

An interchange with Corridor 3 and the MRTS at Thirumylai will be particularly significant, offering commuters greater flexibility in planning their journeys.

The underground portion of Corridor 4 is another fascinating aspect of this ambitious project. The approximately 10-km underground stretch, extending from Lighthouse towards the Kodambakkam Flyover, involves tunnelling beneath some of Chennai's historically dense neighbourhoods and busy arterial roads.

Working beneath established neighbourhoods, without disrupting the life of the city above, is a formidable engineering challenge. This underground section is among the technically demanding components of Chennai Metro's Phase II project.

According to reports issued a few months ago, the complex 1.98-km twin-tunnel drive between Lighthouse and Thirumayilai had been completed — a significant achievement in the construction of the network.

Metro Rail has undoubtedly changed the way people commute in Chennai. What was once seen as a modern transport experiment has steadily become an essential part of the city's daily life.

From the electric trains of 1931, through the MRTS and the first Metro services in 2015, to today's expansion of Phase II, Chennai's public transport story reflects the growth and changing aspirations of the metropolis.

Today, Chennai celebrates another milestone in this journey, as the city welcomes the inauguration of the new Metro stretch by our Hon'ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modiji.

May Chennai continue to grow, with better connectivity, easier commuting and a more comfortable travel experience for its residents!

Regards,

S. Sampathkumar

11.10.2026