Chennai Metro’s Dramatic Kathipara Curve Set to Transform Phase II Travel Experience

The Chennai Metro Rail project is entering one of its most visually distinctive and technically demanding phases with the construction of a 413 metre curved viaduct above the busy Kathipara junction. As part of Phase II’s Corridor 5, which connects Madhavaram with Sholinganallur, this sweeping curve is being developed to provide trains a smooth transition towards Alandur station while offering passengers an elevated and memorable view of the city.

The structure stands out not only for its length but also for its complexity. The curve has a radius of 125 metres, making it one of the sharpest turns attempted by CMRL. Trains will descend from a height of 33 metres to 27 metres and maintain a speed of around 35 kilometres per hour as they pass over the junction. Engineers are relying on the balanced cantilever method, a specialised technique used for long spans without ground support, to execute this engineering feat.

The viaduct consists of five main spans measuring 58 metres, 100 metres, 100 metres, 95 metres and 60 metres. Among these, the critical 100 metre span between pillars 411 and 412 is nearing completion. Two cantilever arms, built segment by segment, are only a few metres away from being linked. According to project officials, the final connection will be achieved by casting concrete with the help of hanging shutters, ensuring stability without disrupting traffic below.

Each cantilever arm is made up of ten segments that are placed using advanced form traveller equipment. High tension strands running through the structure will be stressed in stages to strengthen and secure the entire viaduct once the arms are fully connected.

CMRL expects the entire structure to be completed by February. The organisation had earlier built a balanced cantilever in the same location during Phase I, but the new curve is significantly larger and more visually prominent. Once operational, commuters will experience an aerial sweep over Kathipara unlike anything seen before in Chennai’s rapid transit network.