Chennai Metro Speeds Up Phase 2: Koyambedu to Butt Road Line Slated for Early Opening

CHENNAI – In a move that promises to rescue thousands of commuters from the daily grind of gridlock, Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) is officially putting the pedal to the metal. The agency is now aiming to open a crucial 12-kilometer stretch between Koyambedu and Butt Road by June 2026, successfully shaving a full year off the original 2027 deadline.

For residents in neighborhoods like Virugambakkam, Manapakkam, and Ramapuram, this news is more than just an infrastructure update. It is a potential end to the exhausting hours spent idling on Mount–Poonamallee Road. This elevated section, featuring 13 stations, is a vital piece of the larger Corridor 5 project that will eventually link Madhavaram to Sholinganallur.

Linking the Old with the New
The logic behind the rush is simple: connectivity. By finishing this stretch early, CMRL creates a vital bridge to the existing Phase 1 network. At the Koyambedu hub, a new skywalk will allow passengers to walk straight from the new Phase 2 platforms into the current station, making transfers across the city seamless.

This section also acts as a gateway to the upcoming Vadapalani to Poonamallee line. Commuters will be able to swap routes at four specialized double-decker stations in Alwarthirunagar, Valasaravakkam, Karambakkam, and Alapakkam. The goal is to create a web of transit that makes driving into the city center a choice rather than a necessity.

The 13-Station Stretch
The route maps out a strategic path through some of the city's densest residential and commercial zones. Starting from the interchange at Koyambedu, the line will serve:
1. Koyambedu Market2. Natesan Nagar3. Virugambakkam4. Alwarthirunagar (Double-decker interchange)5. Valasaravakkam (Double-decker interchange)6. Karambakkam(Double-decker interchange)7. Alapakkam (Double-decker interchange)8. Mugalivakkam9. Ramapuram10. Manapakkam11. Chennai Trade Centre12. Butt Road13. Sathya Nagar (located near the Butt Road transition)

Relief for the Tech Belt
The primary beneficiaries will be the workforce powering the Porur IT corridor and the traders who keep the Koyambedu wholesale market moving. For many, the metro represents a return of personal time.
"I invariably get stuck in peak-hour traffic on Mount–Poonamallee Road," says N. Santosh, a tech professional from Ramapuram. While he is excited about the shortened commute, he points out that the real test will be how easily people can get from the station to their front doors. "Taking the metro could change my life, provided there is good last-mile connectivity."
The Challenges of a Tight Deadline
Pulling a massive construction project forward by twelve months is a tall order, especially in a city as dense as Chennai. The path to a June launch is still paved with obstacles.
On Butt Road, the streets are so narrow and the buildings so close together that civil work has been delayed to avoid paralyzing the neighborhood. Engineers have had to pause work on five specific pillars to keep traffic flowing. Meanwhile, near the iconic Kathipara flyover, construction can only happen in the dead of night.
Despite these hurdles, CMRL is determined. If they can finish the complex structural work over Kathipara by April, the June deadline remains within reach. For a city tired of the commute, that day cannot come soon enough.