The construction of the underground section of Chennai Metro Rail's Phase II may get pushed back by around nine months, as there is a delay in the tender process.

The initial deadline for the underground section was December 2025. Tenders for construction of a portion of an underground section and some underground stations were cancelled in December 2021 and are yet to be re-floated. Phase II project covers 118.9 km with 128 stations, including a 43 km underground section with 48 stations.

A CMRL official said the tender for construction of an underground section from Kolathur to Nathamuni covering 5.6 km on corridor-5 was cancelled as there was a lack of takers for building the line. Officials said the few bids made were significantly higher than CMRL's estimate.

"We met with very poor response for the Kolathur-Nathamuni stretch primarily because of a JICA requirement that we must procure from Japanese companies or Indian companies or a joint venture of Japanese and Indian companies ... we will get clearance soon," the official said.

JICA is funding construction of 52 km stretch in phase-2 from Madhavaram to Sholinganallur on corridor-3 and Madhavaram to CMBT on corridor-5.

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