Chennai to open its underground metro line by April 2017

Chennai is to get its first underground metro rail service – an 8-km-stretch from Koyambedu to Nehru Park – in the first quarter of 2017, making about 70 per cent of Phase-I of the service operational.    The 8-km-stretch is part of Corridor-2, comprising seven underground stations. A recent trial run saw a four-car train cross the elevated line at Koyambedu metro station through a ramp connecting the underground tunnel. From Thirumangalam, the line is underground till Nehru Park cutting across the arterial Poonamallee High Road at a depth of 18 m.    While 90 per cent of the construction work on the stretch is complete, the rest is expected to be completed in the next four months, with the line expected to be operational by the first quarter of next year. Further, the stretch from Nehru Park to Central is currently under construction and as per reports, will take another year to be commissioned.