Chennai, Sept 26:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Chennai on October 11 to inaugurate the Metro Rail service between Poonamallee and Vadapalani, marking the opening of the first operational stretch of Phase II of the Chennai Metro Rail project.
The 14.64-km Poonamallee-Vadapalani corridor has been completed with 11 elevated stations. The Chennai Metro Rail Corporation has completed the required testing and obtained the necessary approvals following an inspection by the Commissioner of Railway Safety.
The stretch forms part of the 26-km Lighthouse-Poonamallee corridor under Phase II, which is being developed as part of the 118.9-km Phase II project across three corridors. Trial runs, including checks of signalling, track performance, train operations and structural safety, have already been completed.
The service was earlier expected to be opened in February, but the inauguration was delayed while awaiting confirmation of the Prime Minister’s schedule. According to the latest information from Chennai Metro Rail authorities, the service will now be inaugurated on October 11.
Modi is also scheduled to attend an event at IIT Madras on the same day, where three National Highway projects and projects of Indian Oil Corporation are expected to be inaugurated. He will subsequently flag off the Poonamallee-Vadapalani Metro service and travel on the new stretch. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay is also expected to attend the inauguration.