In a significant boost to urban mobility, Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) has received official clearance to operate driverless metro trains between Poonamallee and Vadapalani under Phase 2 of the Chennai Metro Rail project.
The approval was granted by Railway Safety Commissioner A.M. Chowdhary following a comprehensive four-day inspection of the corridor. The safety certification paves the way for the launch of the first operational stretch of Corridor 4 under Phase 2.
Chennai Metro Phase 2 is being developed across 118.9 km, with Corridor 4 extending about 26 km from Poonamallee to Lighthouse. The initial services will commence between Poonamallee and Vadapalani, marking the beginning of driverless train operations on this stretch.
Prior to granting approval, authorities conducted extensive evaluations covering track quality, structural stability, passenger safety systems, coach design, onboard amenities, signalling systems and automated train control mechanisms. Trial runs of the driverless trains were carried out at speeds of 80–90 kmph to assess operational safety and passenger comfort.
On the final day of inspection, the train was operated directly from the Operations Control Centre to verify the efficiency and reliability of the fully automated driverless system.
With the successful completion of trials and receipt of safety certification, CMRL is now set to introduce advanced driverless metro services, further strengthening Chennai’s public transport infrastructure and enhancing connectivity in the western corridor of the city.