PM Modi inaugurates 15-km Chennai Metro Phase 2 stretch with CM Vijay, launches projects worth over ₹13,000 crore

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 15-kilometre Poonamallee Bypass–Vadapalani stretch of Chennai Metro Rail Phase 2 on Sunday and rode the first train with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay. The corridor, part of Corridor 4 and the Yellow Line, cost approximately ₹4,900 crore and includes 11 elevated stations. It features a 3.7-kilometre double-decker structure and signalling systems designed for future driverless operation. Passenger services started at 4 p.m. on Sunday and ran until 9 p.m.; regular service begins Monday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Modi and Vijay flagged off the train at Porur Bypass station in the presence of Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar. The Prime Minister bought a ticket at the counter, spoke briefly with the employee, and boarded with the chief minister. The ride covered the section between Porur Bypass and Poonamallee Bypass. Six intermediate stations on the double-decker portion will remain closed until further construction is finished. Chennai Metro Rail plans to run 15 trains at 10-minute intervals in peak hours.

The metro opening is the centrepiece of a larger package of projects worth more than ₹13,000 crore that Modi is inaugurating or laying foundation stones for during his Chennai visit. These include National Highway works of roughly ₹3,700 crore, port and petroleum projects, education facilities, and other transport upgrades. Modi also visited the Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre at IIT-Madras and offered prayers at a temple on the campus. The visit is his first to Chennai since the Vijay government took office.

The new stretch improves connectivity between Chennai’s western suburbs and the city centre, cutting travel time for daily commuters. Stations open today include Poonamallee Bypass, Poonamallee Bus Stand, Poonamallee Government Hospital, Karayanchavadi, Kumananchavadi, Kattupakkam, Iyappanthangal, Thelliyaragaram, Porur Bypass, Porur Junction and Vadapalani. Full unattended train operations will require additional testing and certification.

The joint appearance of the Prime Minister and the state chief minister on a major infrastructure project is standard protocol, yet it occurs against a competitive political backdrop in Tamil Nadu. Vijay had met Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi the previous day. For residents of the western corridor the immediate change is practical: a new metro link that reduces dependence on road traffic between the suburbs and central Chennai. Construction of the remaining stations and integration with the wider Phase 2 network will continue.