Koyambedu to Butt Road phase-2 metro rail stretch to open by June

Chennai: In about six months, residents of Virugambakkam, Manapakkam and Ramapuram could travel by metro into the city, as Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) pushes to open a 12km stretch from Koyambedu to Butt Road by June, nearly a year ahead of its original deadline.Officials said work on the section was sped up to advance commissioning. The stretch, with 13 elevated stations, forms part of Corridor-5, the 44.6 km Madhavaram–Sholinganallur line under Phase-2.
"We are advancing the deadline for this stretch as it will provide a critical link to Phase-1 lines at Koyambedu. The original target was June 2027, but we are trying to get the line ready within six months," a metro rail official said.In Feb, the first Phase-2 line, the 14.5 km Poonamallee Bypass–Vadapalani stretch, is expected to begin passenger operations. The Koyambedu–Butt Road section will link with the Vadapalani–Poonamallee line at four double-decker stations — Alwarthirunagar, Valasaravakkam, Karambakkam and Alapakkam. A skywalk at Koyambedu will connect this Phase-2 section with the Phase-1 stations, improving access to the existing metro network. Once operational, the line is expected to benefit office-goers travelling to the Porur IT corridor, visitors to the Chennai Trade Centre, and traders and shoppers heading to the Koyambedu wholesale market."I invariably get stuck in peak-hour traffic on Mount–Poonamallee Road. Taking the metro could reduce my travel time, provided there is good last-mile connectivity," said N Santosh, a techie from Ramapuram.However, advancing the project by one year is a challenge. Officials said civil work is yet to begin in a few small stretches along Butt Road, where narrow roads and dense development make construction difficult without disrupting traffic."We did not lay foundations for five piers on Butt Road due to traffic constraints. We may even complete the balanced cantilever work over Kathipara before that, possibly by April. We are trying to get the line ready as early as possible," the official said.Earlier plans to open the stretch from Koyambedu to Alandur to directly link Phase-2 with Phase-1 were revised, as construction over Kathipara flyover could be carried out only during the night to avoid traffic disruption.