Chennai Driverless Metro: Test Track, Arrival Date, And Phase 2 Updates

The Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) is gearing up for a major milestone with a test run of its driverless metro train scheduled for October. This event, taking place on the Poonamallee-Light House line, marks the beginning of a new era in Chennai's metro operations.

In February, CMRL unveiled its new driverless trains, which feature perch seats for standing passengers, CCTV cameras inside and outside, charging sockets for phones and laptops, grab handles in different colours at a lower height for women, dedicated space and a long wait press button for wheelchair users, and LCD screens displaying real-time route maps and entertainment.

In preparation for this, ballastless tracks are being installed at the Poonamallee depot, with completion expected within the next three months. This will coincide with the arrival of the first driverless train, according to a report in The Times of India. The depot, which is nearly 75% complete, will service all trains on corridor-4, extending from Lighthouse to Poonamallee Bypass. The first stretch of phase-2, from Porur to Poonamallee, featuring 10 stations, is expected to be operational by November 2025.

"The test track will be ready by October. Once the train arrives, it will undergo trials on the test tracks for two months, followed by trials on the elevated corridor," the daily quoted T Archunan, director (projects), CMRL, as saying. Construction of the stabling shed and workshop shed is set to be completed in the coming months, with the roof of the nearby Poonamallee station expected to be finished by March 2025.

The extensive phase-2 project spans 116.1 km and comprises three corridors, which will be opened in stages between 2025 and 2028. Currently, 25% of the ballastless tracks between Porur and Poonamallee have been laid, with daily progress ranging from 100m to 120m.

Officials previously indicated that the stretch from Power House near Kodambakkam to Porur, also part of corridor-4, could become operational around six months after the Porur-Poonamallee section opens. This particular stretch features a unique double-decker corridor between Alwarthirunagar and Alapakkam, covering approximately 4 km and including four stations. These stations will serve as interchanges, allowing passengers to switch platforms and connect to corridor-5, which links Madhavaram Milk Colony with Sholinganallur.

As CMRL advances with its ambitious phase-2 project, the introduction of driverless trains represents a major leap forward in enhancing the efficiency and sophistication of Chennai's public transportation system.