Yellow Line (Chennai Metro)

Yellow Line (Line 4)
Overview
Other name	Poonamallee - Lighthouse corridor
Native name	மஞ்சள் வழித்தடம் (Mañjaḷ vaḻittaṭam)
Status	Under Construction
Locale	Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Termini	Poonamallee Bypass Lighthouse
Connecting lines	Operational (3): Blue Line Green Line   Chennai MRTS   Upcoming (2): Purple Line Red Line
Stations	(Under construction) 27 + 20 (planned) Total = 47
Website	chennaimetrorail.org
Service
Type	Rapid transit
System	Chennai Metro
Operator(s)	Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) [1]
Depot(s)	Poonamallee
Rolling stock	Alstom
History
Planned opening	February 2026;27 days' time (February 2026)(TBC)
Technical
Line length	26.1 km (16.2 mi)
Number of tracks	2
Character	10.1 km (6.3 mi) Underground 16 km (9.9 mi) Elevated
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead catenary
Signalling	CBTC Signalling System
Route map Legend            Planned High Court State Secretariat Anna Square Marina Beach Lighthouse Kutchery Road MRTS line Thirumayilai Purple Line Thirumayilai railway station Alwarpet Bharathidasan Road Boat Club Nandanam on Blue Line Nandanam Panagal Park Kodambakkam Kodambakkam railway station Kodambakkam Powerhouse Vadapalani on Green Line Vadapalani Saligramam Saligramam Warehouse Alwarthirunagar Red Line Valasaravakkam Red Line Karambakkam Red Line Alapakkam Red Line Porur Junction Porur Bypass NH 32:Chennai Bypass Road Thelliyaragaram Iyyapanthangal Kattupakkam Kumananchavadi Karayanchavadi Mullaithottam Poonamallee Poonamallee Depot Chennai Outer Ring Road Poonamallee Bypass            Planned Nazarathpet Chembarambakkam Kuthambakkam Bus Terminus Samathuvapuram Chettipedu Thandalam Irungattukottai SIPCOT Chennai-Bangalore Expressway Pennalur Sriperumbudur Pattunool Chatram Irungulam Industrial Estate Mambakkam Tirumangalam Sunguvarchatiram (RRTS ) Parandur RRTS

The Yellow Line or Line 4 is one of the under construction lines of Chennai Metro Phase-II stretching from Lighthouse to Poonamallee Bypass. The line will consist of 27 stations, out of which nine will be underground and 18 will be at grade or elevated. The colour code of the corridor was changed from Orange to Yellow, as per latest CMRL's latest Phase-II map. ^[2]

Planning and construction

Phase II

The construction of the first phase of Chennai Metro started in June 2009. ^[3] Commercial operations started on the green line in June 2015. ^{[4] [5] [6]} On 10 February 2019, the extension of blue line was opened, completing the first phase of the metro. ^[7]

In July 2016, Government of Tamil Nadu announced that the second phase would have three lines totaling 104 km (65 mi) in length with 104 stations. ^{[8] [9]} Two corridors would extend from Madhavaram Milk Colony connecting with Siruseri and Sholinganallur respectively with the third corridor connecting Koyambedu with Lighthouse. In July 2017, the state government announced an extension in Phase II, involving an extension of line four from Lighthouse up to Poonamallee with an intersection with the Madhavaram–Sholinganallur line at Alwarthirunagar. The line will extend to 26.1 km (16.2 mi) with 16 km (9.9 mi) elevated and 10.1 km (6.3 mi) underground. It will consist of 30 stations including 12 undergrounds stations. ^{[10] [11]} The stations for the second phase were designed to be smaller than the existing stations operational in the first phase. ^[12]

On 20 November 2020, foundation stone for the second phase was laid and construction commenced. ^[13] In November 2022, Alstom was awarded the contract to supply metro coaches for the phase II expansion. ^[14] In May 2023, CMRL announced a revised plan for the second phase revising the station count on the fourth line to 27. ^[15] As per the final plan, the fourth line will extend for 26.1 km (16.2 mi). ^[16]

The second phase is estimated to cost ₹63,246 crore (US$7.5 billion) of which initially ₹4,710 crore (US$560 million) was loaned by JICA. ^{[10] [17] [18]} On 14 February 2021, Prime Minister of India announced that the government has set aside ₹63,000 crore (US$7.5 billion) for the construction of phase II and further extension. ^[19]

Chennai Metro - Phase II ^[20]

Line Name	Terminals		Length (km)	Stations	Status
Yellow Line	Poonamallee Bypass	Vadapalani	15.8	11	Opens February 2026
				6	Opens June 2026
	Vadapalani	Lighthouse	10.3	10	Under construction

In January 2025, Chennai Metro announced that the operations on Poonamallee Bypass to Vadapalani stretch will start in February 2026, with no intermediate stoppages at stations from Alapakkam to Saligramam. ^[21]

Phase II extension

In 2022, the state government proposed an extension plan for the fourth line from Poonamalee to Parandur, covering an approximate 43.6 km (27.1 mi). ^[22] Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the line was prepared and submitted to Government of Tamil Nadu which approved the line in June 2025. This extension would be implemented in 2 phases, from Poonamallee Bypass to Sunguvarchatram in first phase and then to Parandur in second phase. The DPR is currently forwarded to Government of India for final approval. ^[23] Another extension of the corridor eastward from Lighthouse to High Court is also being planned. ^[24]

Chennai Metro - Phase II Extension

Line	Terminals		Length	Stations	Status
Yellow Line	Poonamallee	Sunguvarchatram	27.9 km (17.3 mi)	14	DPR approved by state
	Lighthouse	High Court	7 km (4.3 mi)	TBD	Planned

Stations

Yellow Line
S.No	Station Name [20]		Expected Opening [25]	Connections	Station Structure
	English	Tamil			Station Type	Platform Level Type
1	Lighthouse	கலங்கரை விளக்கம்	April 2027		Underground	Island
2	Kutchery Road	கச்சேரி சாலை	April 2027		Underground	Island
3	Thirumayilai	திருமயிலை	April 2027	Thirumayilai (Chennai MRTS) Purple Line (Under Construction)	Underground	Island
4	Alwarpet	ஆழ்வார்பேட்டை	April 2027		Underground	Island
5	Bharathidasan Road	பாரதிதாசன் சாலை	April 2027		Underground	Island
6	Boat Club	படகு குழாம்	April 2027		Underground	Island
7	Nandanam	நந்தனம்	April 2027	Blue Line	Underground	Island
8	Panagal Park	பனகல் பூங்கா	February 2027		Underground	Island
9	Kodambakkam	கோடம்பாக்கம்	February 2027	Kodambakkam (South Line)	Underground	Island
10	Kodambakkam Powerhouse	கோடம்பாக்கம் பவர்ஹவுஸ்	June 2026		Elevated	Side
11	Vadapalani	வடபழனி	February 2026	Green Line	Elevated	Side
12	Saligramam	சாலிகிராமம்	June 2026		Elevated	Island
13	Saligramam Warehouse	சாலிகிராமம் கிடங்கு	June 2026		Elevated	Island
14	Alwarthirunagar	ஆழ்வார்திருநகர்	June 2026	Red Line (Under Construction)	Elevated	Island
15	Valasaravakkam	வளசரவாக்கம்	June 2026	Red Line (Under Construction)	Elevated	Island
16	Karambakkam	காரம்பாக்கம்	June 2026	Red Line (Under Construction)	Elevated	Island
17	Alapakkam	ஆலப்பாக்கம்	June 2026	Red Line (Under Construction)	Elevated	Island
18	Porur Junction	போரூர் சந்திப்பு	January 2026		Elevated	Side
19	Porur Bypass	போரூர் புறவழிச்சாலை	January 2026		Elevated	Island
20	Thelliyaragaram	தெள்ளியார் அகரம்	January 2026	Sri Ramachandra Medical College	Elevated	Island
21	Iyyapanthangal	ஐயப்பன்தாங்கல்	January 2026	Iyyapanthangal Bus Terminus	Elevated	Island
22	Kattupakkam	காட்டுப்பாக்கம்	January 2026		Elevated	Island
23	Kumananchavadi	குமணன்சாவடி	January 2026		Elevated	Island
24	Karayanchavadi	கரையான்சாவடி	January 2026		Elevated	Island
25	Mullaithottam	முல்லைத்தோட்டம்	January 2026		Elevated	Island
26	Poonamallee	பூவிருந்தவல்லி	January 2026	Poonamallee Bus Terminus	Elevated	Side
27	Poonamallee Bypass	பூவிருந்தவல்லி புறவழிச்சாலை	January 2026		Elevated	Side

^§ under construction

See also

• List of rapid transit systems in India
• List of metro systems

References

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2. PHASE-2 MAP (PDF) (Report). Chennai Metro Rail Limited . Retrieved 7 May 2025.
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4. "Chennai Metro one stop short of dream run". Deccan Chronicle . 31 August 2014. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
5. "Conditional clearance for Metro Rail". The Hindu . 28 April 2015. Archived from the original on 14 January 2016. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
6. Chennai Metro Newsletter - August 2015 (PDF) (Report). Chennai Metro. 29 June 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 October 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
7. Simhan, TE Raja (10 February 2019). "PM Modi inaugurates Chennai Metro Rail's final leg". The Hindu Businessline. Archived from the original on 26 October 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
8. Sekar, Sunitha (2 August 2016). "1800 km, 180 stations: Unveiling Phase II of Metro". The Hindu . Archived from the original on 26 December 2016. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
9. Sekar, Sunitha. "Detailed project report for Phase II of Metro Rail ready". The Hindu . Archived from the original on 27 December 2016. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
10. "Project status of Chennai Metro". Chennai Metro Rail Limited. Archived from the original on 26 September 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2010.
11. "Metro's second phase to go up to Poonamallee". The Hindu . 20 July 2017. Archived from the original on 26 February 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2017.
12. U, Tejonmayam (28 December 2016). "Chennai: Metro rail to trim stations under phase 2". The Times of India . Archived from the original on 8 February 2017. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
13. "Amit Shah to lay foundation for Chennai Metro's phase II project". The Hindu . 17 November 2020. Archived from the original on 28 April 2024. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
14. "Alstom wins €98 million contract to design and manufacture 78 metro coaches for Chennai Metro Phase-II" (Press release). Alstom. 11 November 2022. Archived from the original on 16 December 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
15. "Chennai metro scraps nine stations in phase 2". The Times of India . 14 May 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
16. "Phase II– S98 (Anaimalai) TBM Breakthrough at Venugopal Nagar Shaft" (PDF) (Press release). Chennai Metro Rail Limited. 7 June 2023. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 June 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
17. "Phase-II Chennai metro project to cost Rs 36,000 cr". Business Standard. 2 March 2014. Archived from the original on 16 December 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
18. "JICA extends ODA Loan of INR 4710 Cr for Chennai Metro Rail Project Phase 2 (II)". JICA. 21 June 2022. Archived from the original on 16 December 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
19. Dipak K, Dash. "Ground work for Chennai metro rail phase-2 hit". Times of India . Archived from the original on 18 February 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
20. Chennai Metro rail phase II (PDF) (Report). Chennai Metro Rail Limited . Retrieved 1 May 2024.^{[ permanent dead link ]}
21. Sekar, Sunitha (3 January 2026). "Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety inspects Phase II trains". The Hindu . Retrieved 3 January 2026.
22. "Detailed feasibility report for Chennai Metro Rail's Phase 2 extension to be ready in three months". The Hindu . 26 March 2023. Archived from the original on 28 April 2024. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
23. "T.N. government gives nod to Chennai Metro Rail's Poonamallee-Parandur corridor". The Hindu . 3 June 2025. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
24. "Chennai Metro Rail to conduct DPRs for extension in 2 locations". DT Next . 11 August 2025. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
25. Sekar, Sunitha (4 March 2025). "By July 2026, Chennai Metro Rail will extend connectivity till Kodambakkam via double decker stretch". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 22 March 2025.