Chennai, Sept 7:
Trial operations on the Koyambedu-Nandambakkam stretch of Chennai Metro Phase II are expected to begin in November, marking a major step towards opening the corridor for passenger services.
According to Metro Rail officials, construction of the approximately 26-km stretch from Koyambedu to the Chennai Trade Centre at Nandambakkam is nearing completion.
Nearly 90% of the track-laying work has been completed, with the remaining work involving about 1.5 km around Koyambedu Metro station, Mugalivakkam and the elevated section. These works are expected to be completed shortly.
The trial run is expected to continue for around four months before commercial passenger operations begin.
Driverless trains
The stretch is planned to operate with driverless Metro trains. Special software has been installed in the trains and continuous testing is being carried out to ensure the automated systems function safely.
A separate 3.6-km link between Nandambakkam Trade Centre and Alandur is also under construction. The remaining work on this link is expected to take another 45 to 60 days.
Once the link is completed, passenger services between Koyambedu and Alandur are expected to begin next year.
The stretch forms part of Corridor 5 of Chennai Metro Phase II, which runs between Madhavaram and Sholinganallur.
Phase II comprises three corridors with a combined length of about 119 km and 119 planned stations. The overall project is targeted for completion by the end of 2028.