Chennai Metro Rail Vadapalani–Poonamallee Stretch Inaugurated: New Transit Routes and Timings
The Chennai Metro Rail Corporation Limited has unveiled the stretch between Vadapalani and Poonamallee of the Phase II of the Chennai Metro. This new project was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi along with the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, C. Joseph Vijay, on October 11, 2026. The project cost is about ₹4,900 crore, and the new stretch links Poonamallee Bypass with Vadapalani via 11 stations.
Chennai Metro Phase II: New Route and Stations
The new corridor will be part of Corridor 4 of Chennai Metro Phase II, which is popularly called the Yellow Line. The stretch that is currently in operation is a 14.64-kilometre route and is used to connect suburban areas on the west side and Chennai Metro at Vadapalani.
The 11 stations are Poonamallee Bypass, Poonamallee Bus Stand, Poonamallee Government Hospital, Karayanchavadi, Kumananchavadi, Kattupakkam, Ayyappanthangal, Thelliyaragaram, Porur Bypass, Porur Junction and Vadapalani.
This route will be beneficial for the people who travel via Poonamallee, Kattupakkam and Porur, giving an alternate way other than the road trip from the congested routes. People can connect with the Phase I Chennai Metro from Vadapalani.
Chennai Metro New Route Timings
Passenger service operations for the Poonamallee-Vadapalani Metro Line were launched on October 11 and ran from 4 PM till 9 PM. Full operational services started on October 12 with the schedule provided below.
- Operating hours: 7 AM to 9 PM
- Weekday Peak Hours: 8 AM to 11 AM and 5 PM to 8 PM
- Peak Hours Frequency: Every 10 minutes from Monday to Saturday
- Non-Peak Hours Frequency: Every 15 minutes
- Every day from Sunday to public holidays: Every 15 minutes
- Last trains from terminals leave at 9 PM.
Driverless Metro Technology and Safety
However, the corridor is meant to facilitate train operations without any train operators in the future. The first phase of the corridor is that of trains operating in automated modes, with personnel present on board monitoring the services. The driverless operation would be feasible post testing and certification; according to the reports, it is expected sometime in 2027.
How Would the New Metro Route Help Chennai?
The extension of Chennai Metro to Phase II would serve to enhance mobility in the city, reduce dependency on personal transport, and increase connectivity between residential and commercial zones.
The Vadapalani-Poonamallee corridor is a significant part of the extensive 118.9-km Phase II project for the Chennai metro. The success of the project would depend on the usage by passengers, feeder connections, and the gradual commissioning of the other stations too.
For the commuter, it would provide another means of traveling through Chennai.
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