Chennai (Smart Transport News): The Chennai Metro’s Phase II expansion project is now under way, and it will greatly expand the network’s reach to many areas of the city. This phase would feature a total of 112 stations and will cover 118.9 kilometres in three corridors at an estimated cost of Rs 61843 crores.
Phase 2’s Corridor 3 will run 45.8 kilometres between Mahdavaram to SIPCOT. The Poonamallee bypass and CMBT will be connected by the 26.1-kilometer route 4. Between Madhavaram and Sholinganallur, Corridor Five is 47 kilometres long.
After phase 2 is finished, OMR Road (Old Mahabalipuram Road) will be a major Metro hub in the capital city of Tamil Nadu, with lines running through important intersections like Okkiam Thoraipakkam and Sholinganallur. Authorities intend to build extension lines from either Okkiyam Thoraipakkam or Sholinganallur station or both to connect East Coast Road (ECR) and Velachery. OMR will thus serve as the entrance point for Metro users to reach ECR and Velachery.
To get to East Coast Road, commuters from Anna Nagar, Porur, Alandur, Madipakkam, Nungambakkam, Adyar, and Madhavaram can change corridors at either Okkiyam Thoraipakkam or Sholinganallur.
Future extensions of the metro lines will also use the transit stations at Koyambedu, Okkiam Thoraipakkam, and Sholinganallur. These stations have provisions for the addition of additional platforms. In the future, the expansion line to Avadi can be connected to the Koyambedu station. Sholinganallur is an interchange connecting corridors 3 and 5, while Thoraipakkam is a portion of corridor 3.
To transition between corridors 3 to 5, metro riders must use the escalator or stairs at Sholinganallur to change platforms. The original CMRL plan to connect the two corridors has been abandoned. Originally, it was intended to run an 81. 3-kilometer circular route with 88 stations between Madhavaram, Koyambedu, Elcot, Thoraipakkam, and Madhavaram. The proposal was abandoned by the authorities, who claimed that given the footfall, it may be resumed later.
Phase 2 of the 118.9 kilometre project should be completed by 2026.