Chennai: Tamil Nadu govt will seek Centre’s approval for three Chennai Metro Rail extension corridors, finance minister Marie Wilson announced while presenting the 2026-2027 state budget on Wednesday. They include Chennai Airport-Kilambakkam, Koyambedu-Pattabiram via Avadi and Poonamallee-Sunguvarchatram via Sriperumbudur. The first operational stretch of Phase-2 between Poonamallee Bypass and Vadapalani is set to open shortly.“The govt is pursuing all steps to obtain early approval from the Centre for these additional metro rail lines,” said Wilson.The announcement comes as construction of the 118.9km Phase-2 project, estimated to cost ₹63,246 crore, is progressing in full swing. The 14.64km Poonamallee Bypass-Vadapalani stretch, comprising 11 elevated stations, has completed mandatory safety clearances and has been awaiting an inauguration date from the Centre since March.The proposed 15.46km Airport-Kilambakkam corridor, estimated at ₹9,335 crore, is expected to improve connectivity to the city’s southern suburbs and the Kilambakkam bus terminus, while the 21.76km Koyambedu-Pattabiram line, at ₹9,928 crore, will extend metro connectivity to the city’s western suburbs. The 27.9km Poonamallee-Sunguvarchatram corridor, with 14 elevated stations, forms the first phase of the proposed 52.94km Poonamallee-Parandur metro line, originally planned to provide rail connectivity to the proposed greenfield airport. Construction of the entire Poonamallee-Parandur line, comprising 20 elevated stations, is estimated to cost ₹15,906 crore, including the ₹8,779-crore first phase.CMRL officials had earlier said the Poonamallee-Sunguvarchatram section would be taken up irrespective of the uncertainty over the Parandur airport project. “We are seeking approval for the Poonamallee-Sunguvarchatram section first. The extension to Parandur will be taken up later in line with the airport’s development,” a CMRL official had said.The budget also said the state is pursuing a proposal for a metro rail link between Hosur in Krishnagiri district and Bommasandra in Karnataka with the Centre and the Karnataka govt.
