Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially inaugurated the much-anticipated Poonamallee-Vadapalani stretch of the Chennai Metro Phase II project on Sunday, October 11, 2026. The high-profile event, held during the Prime Minister's visit to Tamil Nadu to unveil infrastructure projects worth over ₹13,000 crore, featured Modi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay jointly flagging off the new line and taking a maiden ride together from the Porur Bypass station.
Constructed at an estimated cost of ₹4,900 crore, this newly operational yellow line corridor represents a critical milestone in Chennai's urban transit expansion. The 14.64-kilometer elevated stretch encompasses 11 newly opened stations out of a planned 17, providing a direct and efficient transit link connecting Poonamallee Bypass to Vadapalani. Key stops along this route include Karayanchavadi, Kattupakkam, Iyappanthangal, and Porur Junction, directly serving heavily populated residential and commercial hubs in western Chennai.
For urban commuters and city planners, the activation of this route is expected to drastically reduce vehicular traffic and commute times along the congested Mount-Poonamallee Road. The commencement of regular passenger services introduces trains running at 10-minute intervals, with operations initially scheduled from 7 AM to 9 PM daily. As part of the broader Phase II network, which aims to expand the city's total metro footprint to 173 kilometers by 2027, this initial stretch sets the foundation for enhanced multimodal integration and sustainable urban mobility across the metropolis.