Chennai Metro Phase II: 40% Complete, First Stretch by Dec 2025

Of the ambitious Chennai Metro Rail Phase II project, almost 40% of work has been completed so far, a recent Lok Sabha reply says. The project, which is part of the city’s much-needed public transport network, involves three corridors measuring 118.9 km at the cost of ₹63,246 crores can connect Madhavaram to SIPCOT (Corridor 3), Lighthouse to Poonamallee (Corridor 4) and Madhavaram to Sholinganallur (Corridor 5).

In reply to a question raised by DMK MP Kalanidhi Veeraswamy, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs, Tokhan Sahu, said that physical progress in the project was 40.41% and financial progress was 32.74%. It includes a combination of elevated and underground sections spread over a total of 128 stations & is executed by Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL), a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) responsible for the project.

The First Stretch Will Open in December 2025:

The first stretch to open will be a 9-km elevated stretch from Poonamallee to Porur in Corridor 4. People with knowledge of the project are aiming to have this section up and running in December 2025, and track and station work is already underway. In a couple of months, service will be extended to Kodambakkam from Porur.

The elevated sections have been making steady progress all the way, but underground work has proceeded more slowly. To date, only 19 km out of a planned 50.5 km of tunneling has been completed. The delays are largely the result of difficulties in Corridor 3, which is primarily underground. Then materials orders had to be placed before work a troublesome approach for contractors, as was the cancellation of an earlier tender for underground station construction, which delayed timelines further.

Nevertheless, the officials say they are confident the project has made forward progress. Phase II extension upon completion will substantially improve connectivity and reduce travel time across the city, with Chennai’s metro network becoming a robust public transport alternative.