Chennai Metro Phase II: Track Laying to Commence Soon on Poonamallee-Porur Stretch
Posted on: 08/Sep/2023 1:12:38 PM
Chennai Metro Rail`s Phase II project is rapidly progressing, particularly along the Poonamallee to Porur corridor, where track laying is poised to begin by the end of next month. Preparatory work for laying tracks on this 10-kilometer stretch is set to kick off next week.
The Phase II project, with a budget of ₹61,843 crores, commenced construction in 2021. Upon completion, it will extend the metro network to cover 116 kilometers across three corridors: Madhavaram to SIPCOT (Corridor 3 – 45.4 km), Light House to Poonamallee (Corridor 4 – 26.1 km), and Madhavaram to Sholinganallur (Corridor 5 – 44.6 km). Poonamallee-Porur will be the first stretch in Phase II, expected to be commissioned by the end of 2025 or early 2026.
Chennai Metro Rail Ltd. (CMRL) officials have confirmed that the Poonamallee-Porur stretch will primarily be elevated, with a significant portion of the viaduct work already completed. The rails required for this stretch, made in India, have already arrived in the city.
"We will begin loading the rails onto the viaduct by next week. Over the coming weeks, preparatory work will continue, and the track laying process is scheduled to commence by the end of October. Approximately 20 kilometers of track (both upward and downward lines) need to be laid, which is expected to take around six months to complete," stated an official.
While track work was initially planned to start in July, it experienced a slight delay and is now set to begin next month. Officials cited a few challenges in executing the track work, particularly related to gaps in the viaduct for station work, as the land was recently handed over to the contractor. Once these areas are ready, track laying will proceed smoothly.
