Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) opened a 14.64-kilometer Phase II section on Oct. 11, adding service on a corridor whose signaling can support 90-second headways but currently runs less frequently.
Under CMRL’s timetable effective Oct. 23, trains run every 10 minutes during two peak windows Monday through Saturday and every 15 minutes at other times, including Sundays and holidays. The new section links Poonamallee Bypass with Vadapalani and has 11 stations. It is the first operating part of Phase II, which CMRL plans to extend 118.9 kilometers across three corridors.
Hitachi Rail pairs communication-based train control (CBTC) with automatic train operation (ATO) for the corridor. Hitachi says CBTC governs train movement, braking and speed selection. With ATO, the system is intended to operate trains without an onboard driver and can support intervals as short as 90 seconds.
CMRL says it awarded the ₹1,620 crore contract to a consortium of Hitachi Rail STS SPA and Hitachi Rail STS India Pvt Limited on Dec. 6, 2022, then signed contract ASA-04 on March 15, 2023. The package covers signaling across 118 route kilometers, two depots, 113 stations, 138 trains and three maintenance rail vehicles. Hitachi said the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) would fund the contract.
The transition to driverless service is not immediate, according to ETInfra, which cited an unnamed CMRL official before the opening. The outlet reported that each train would initially carry two operators and that unattended operation was targeted for mid-2027, after 120 test cases were validated and CMRL applied to the Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety (CMRS) for certification.
The Prime Minister’s Office expects the new service to shorten daily trips for residents of Chennai’s western suburbs and strengthen their connections with the city center.
