Chennai: Even as Chennai Metro Rail Ltd (CMRL) waits for the Centre to fix an inauguration date for the operationally ready Poonamallee Bypass-Vadapalani corridor, six stations on the stretch remain months away from completion, extending delays to a project that was originally scheduled to be opened in phases during the first half of 2026.The stations — Saligramam, Avichi School, Alwarthirunagar, Valasaravakkam, Karambakkam and Alapakkam Junction — were slated for completion by June. CMRL had initially planned to open the Poonamallee Bypass-Porur section first, with trains skipping these stations before terminating at Vadapalani. After the inauguration was pushed beyond Feb, officials expected the pending stations to be completed before the corridor opened.
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That has not happened.The 14.6km Poonamallee Bypass-Vadapalani stretch has already received mandatory safety clearances but remains idle as the Centre is yet to announce an inauguration date. Meanwhile, CMRL officials now say the six stations will be ready only by Sep-end.“Right now, our target is September-end. So by Oct or Nov we could open these stations after inspections by the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety,” the official said. “But once the first line is opened, this work could slow down as there will be certain restrictions on the entry of workers to the platform level and Corridor-5 at the double-decker stations during operational hours.”The official said roof installation at the four double-decker stations — Alwarthirunagar, Valasaravakkam, Karambakkam and Alapakkam Junction — remains the biggest hurdle. The work may require power shutdowns as overhead electricity lines obstruct installation. While rooms for ticketing, signalling, telecommunications, UPS and electrical substations have been completed, cladding, roofing, station entrances and exits, toilet works and granite flooring are still under way.Earlier, officials cited a shortage of labour during the final stages of Phase-2 construction after many workers returned to their hometowns ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections, delaying finishing works.The four double-decker stations will serve as interchanges between Corridors 4 (Lighthouse-Poonamallee Bypass) and 5 (Madhavaram-Sholinganallur), making them among the most important stations on Phase-2.For commuters, however, the repeated delays mean continued dependence on congested Arcot Road despite the metro line being ready.“How long can governments take to decide an inauguration date? It is the public that suffers because of such politics,” said K Ramesh, a Porur resident who works in Vadapalani.
