Chennai Finance Minister Palanivel Thiagarajan told the media that the Chennai metro stretches from Kodambakkam to Poonamallee under corridor-4 to be operational by June 2024 as the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) has started work on the second phase. Metro Rail Project Phase two will span 118.9 km from the city's northern end to the southern end with three corridors — Madhavaram to State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu Limited (SIPCOT), Madhavaram to Sholinganallur, and Light House to Poonamallee. The stretch of Corridor-4 was from Chennai Mofussil bus terminus (CMBT) to the LightHouse earlier. Considering the growing traffic congestion on Arcot road along Virugambakkam and Valasaravakkam, the stretch has been extended till Poonamallee. It will go through Vadapalani, up to Poonamallee by Porur. From Light House to Meenakshi college, the stretch will have 12 underground stations funded by Asian Development Bank (ADB). From Meenakshi college to Poonamallee, the stretch will have 18 elevated stations, funded by Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). Recently, CMRL has increased Corridor 4 from Poonamallee bypass to Thirumazhisai satellite township. Poonamallee, is also foreseen to be one of the five depots of the Chennai metro. Thiagarajan said that work on the first phase extension of 16 km from Chennai airport to Kilambakkam will start soon. This work soon came after, Chief Minister MK Stalin requested for CMRL to take up the Chennai airport-Kilambakkam project soon, which will have 13 stations. It will be constructed solely on Grand Southern Trunk (GST) Road as an elevated stretch. The government of Tamil Nadu has approved Rs 61,843 crore for Chennai Metro Phase 2. The Government of India (GoI) has suggested providing only 10% cost as a grant instead of providing 15% as share capital. Image Source Also read: Chennai Metro: CMRL floats tender to procure 70 driverless trains