The last stretch of Chennai metro’s first phase was completed and opened to public on February 10. And work on the second phase, which will cut across the city, is already beginning.
Phase one covers areas from Washermanpet in north Chennai to the airport in south Chennai. Work is in progress to extend the phase 1 from Washermanpet to Thiruvottriyur, nine kilometres further north.
Ground work is rapidly progressing for the construction of phase two of the network as well. Phase one of Chennai metro will cover a distance of around 132 kilometres and is expected to open to public by 2028.
Chennai Metro Phase 2 route
The second phase of the project will connect the northern Chennai suburb Madhavaram with Sholinganallur on the Old Mahabalipuram Road, Madhavaram with Koyambedu Mofussil Bus Terminus (CMBT) and Light house with Meenakshi College near Kodambakkam.
On its completion, the metro will directly connect the two localities and drastically reduce the travel timing between Madhavaram and Sholinganallur which currently takes at least two hours by car and two-and-a-half hours by bus.
According to CMRL’s website, this phase will have three lines. Two lines will connect Madhavaram to the IT corridor and CMBT respectively. The third line will connect Light house on Marina beach to Meenakshi College.
The line connecting Madhavaram to the IT Corridor will extend from Madhavaram to Sholinganallur via Perambur, KMC, Nungambakkam, Mylapore, Adyar and Kandanchavadi. The other line will start at Madhavaram and reach CMT via Kolathur, Villivakkam and Anna Nagar.
The third line connecting Light House with Meenakshi College will go via Kutchery road, Alwarpet, Nandanam and Panagal Park.
Cost details
Projected cost of the second phase is Rs 69,180 crore of which the land cost and state taxes will amount to Rs 13,273 crore. This amount will be met by the government of Tamil Nadu.
Of the remaining amount of Rs 55,457 crore, the centre, state and funding agencies are expected to share the cost in the ratio 20:20:60. Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), an agency giving financial assistance for the project, will loan Rs 20,196 crore to CMRL for phase two.
Project status
Necessary approvals have been obtained for starting work on the 118.9 kms of the second phase of the project. Apart from JICA loan approval, the Tamil Nadu government has also accorded administrative sanction of Rs 40,941 crore for the commencement of work.