Chennai Metro to revolutionise Old Mahabalipuram Road by 2027

Chennai Metro Rail(CMRL) has announced plans to introduce train services as part of the phase II project, which will have a significant impact on the public transport system along Old Mahabalipuram Road. The services are scheduled to commence operation from Nehru Nagar in Perungudi to Siruseri by 2027.This particular stretch is approximately 20 km long and is part of corridor 3 (Madhavaram to SIPCOT – 45.4 km) within the overall 116-kilometer phase II project. The estimated cost of the entire phase II project is Rs 61,843 crore. The stations along this stretch will include Nehru Nagar, Kandhanchavadi, Perungudi, Thoraipakkam, Mettukuppam, PTC Colony, Okkiyampet, Karapakkam, Okkiyam Thoraipakkam, Sholinganallur, Sholinganallur Lake I Metro, Sholinganallur Lake II Metro, Semmancheri I Metro, Semmencheri II Metro, Gandhi Nagar, Navalur, Siruseri, Siruseri SIPCOT I Metro, and Siruseri SIPCOT II Metro.Corridor 5, covering the 44.6-km stretch from Madhavaram to Sholinganallur, and the 26.1-km Light House-Poonamallee line are the other two corridors included in the phase II project.CMRL officials have stated that the line between Madhavaram and Taramani will be underground, while the remaining stretch until the final station in SIPCOT, Siruseri, will be elevated.We decided to divide the tender for this stretch into two sections—Nehru Nagar to Sholinganallur and Sholinganallur to SIPCOT—and awarded the contracts last year. The construction work has commenced at various locations along OMR, and we anticipate completing it by early 2027, an official explained. The decision to include this stretch in the phase II project was driven by the significant time commuters spend traveling between OMR and other parts of the city during peak hours.