CRS Flags Readiness Concerns On Porur-Vadapalani Metro Stretch

24 Feb 2026 CW Team

Chennai Metro Rail Limited officials said they had commenced construction of emergency evacuation staircases at Alwarthirunagar and Valasaravakkam and that stations between Alapakkam and Saligramam already had staircases linking platforms to concourses. They explained that from concourse to street level the plan had been to use temporary worksite staircases for rare contingencies, but that exclusive passenger walkways would be provided at the two stations and extended to remaining stations once work was complete.

Officials committed to completing the casting of deck slabs along the double-decker corridor and clarified that concretising work between Alapakkam and Saligramam would not be carried out during train operations and would be limited to night shifts. They also said that a safety manual would be provided to the CRS within the week and that the project team was engaging an external safety auditor to review the construction plan for corridor five to ensure passenger safety.

The inspection highlighted the need for finalising both structural and operational safeguards and for clear protocols to manage rare disruptions so that passenger movement remains secure. Chennai Metro Rail Limited said it would accelerate remedial work on evacuation access, lighting and mast grouting while coordinating with the CRS on technical specifications and audit outcomes. The emphasis on procedural clarity and third party verification is intended to balance construction demands with operational safety.

Central Railway Safety Authority (CRS) inspectors flagged concerns about the readiness of the Porur-Vadapalani metro stretch after an inspection identified several unfinished safety measures. Major issues included the lack of dedicated emergency evacuation staircases between Porur Junction and Vadapalani, inadequate lighting along the emergency walkway, incomplete casting of deck slabs on the double-decker corridor level between Alapakkam and Alwarthirunagar and incomplete grouting of overhead equipment masts required for structural stability. Inspectors questioned how passengers could be evacuated on foot if a train stopped midway. Chennai Metro Rail Limited officials said they had commenced construction of emergency evacuation staircases at Alwarthirunagar and Valasaravakkam and that stations between Alapakkam and Saligramam already had staircases linking platforms to concourses. They explained that from concourse to street level the plan had been to use temporary worksite staircases for rare contingencies, but that exclusive passenger walkways would be provided at the two stations and extended to remaining stations once work was complete. Officials committed to completing the casting of deck slabs along the double-decker corridor and clarified that concretising work between Alapakkam and Saligramam would not be carried out during train operations and would be limited to night shifts. They also said that a safety manual would be provided to the CRS within the week and that the project team was engaging an external safety auditor to review the construction plan for corridor five to ensure passenger safety. The inspection highlighted the need for finalising both structural and operational safeguards and for clear protocols to manage rare disruptions so that passenger movement remains secure. Chennai Metro Rail Limited said it would accelerate remedial work on evacuation access, lighting and mast grouting while coordinating with the CRS on technical specifications and audit outcomes. The emphasis on procedural clarity and third party verification is intended to balance construction demands with operational safety.

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