Public transportation in Chennai received a substantial boost on Sunday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the newly constructed Poonamallee-Vadapalani section under Phase II of the Chennai Metro Rail Project. Built at an estimated expenditure of around Rs 4,900 crore, the new transit stretch was officially flagged off by Prime Minister Modi alongside Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, with both leaders boarding the train for an inaugural ride across the section.
Corridor 4 Upgrades and Double-Decker Architecture
Operating under Corridor 4 of the project's second phase, the newly opened segment covers approximately 15 kilometres and incorporates 11 elevated stations. A defining civil engineering feature along the route is a 3.7-kilometre specialised double-decker structure designed to optimise urban space along busy arterial roads. To support next-generation mass transit operations, the line is equipped with an advanced signalling system capable of supporting driverless train movements. Urban planners anticipate that the corridor will drastically reduce daily transit hours between Chennai's rapidly urbanising western suburbs and the central metropolitan districts.
Digital Ticketing and Inaugural Commute
Highlighting digital payment adoption, Prime Minister Modi purchased his journey ticket via the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) before boarding the train. The Prime Minister and Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay then travelled together from the Porur Bypass Road metro station to Poonamallee. Throughout the commute, metro rail technical teams briefed the dignitaries on operational logistics, safety infrastructure, and signalling architecture. The Prime Minister also interacted with students and technical personnel travelling on the coach.
Broader Push for Highways, Railways, and Port Infrastructure
The metro rollout formed part of a multi-sector transit infrastructure initiative across Tamil Nadu on Sunday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for and inaugurated several National Highway projects valued at approximately Rs 3,700 crore, comprising both fresh construction undertakings and completed roadway stretches dedicated to the public. Furthermore, railway infrastructure works worth Rs 750 crore were dedicated to the nation. At Chennai Port, four distinct infrastructure developments were inaugurated to augment maritime facilities and significantly expand cargo-handling capacity. Extensive security deployment was maintained across Chennai during the visit.
