The Orange Line or Line 4 is one of the planned lines of Chennai Metro. It is part of the second phase of the project and the under construction line stretches 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.
Planning and construction
Phase II
The construction of the first phase of Chennai Metro started in June 2009. Commercial operations started on the green line in June 2015. On 10 February 2019, the extension of blue line was opened, completing the first phase of the metro.
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. Two corridors would extend from Madhavaram 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. The stations for the second phase were designed to be smaller than the existing stations operational in the first phase.
On 20 November 2020, foundation stone for the second phase was laid and construction commenced. In November 2022, Alstom was awarded the contract to supply metro coaches for the phase II expansion. In May 2023, CMRL announced a revised plan for the second phase revising the station count on the fourth line to 27. As per the final plan, the fourth line will extend for 26.1 km (16.2 mi).
| Line Name | Terminals | Length (km) | Stations | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange Line | Poonamallee Bypass | Lighthouse | 26.1 | 27 | Under construction |
The second phase is estimated to cost ₹63,246 crore (US$7.6 billion) of which initially ₹4,710 crore (US$560 million) was loaned by JICA. 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.
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). In early 2024, feasibility report was submitted by CMRL for the proposed expansion of the line, green lighting the same.
| Line | Terminals | Length | Stations | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange Line | Poonamallee | Parandur | 43.6 km (27.1 mi) | 19 | Planned |
Stations
| Orange Line | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S.No | Station Name | Connections | Layout | Opened | |
| English | Tamil | ||||
| 1 | Lighthouse | கலங்கரை விளக்கம் | Underground | Under construction | |
| 2 | Kutchery Road | கச்சேரி சாலை | |||
| 3 | Thirumayilai | திருமயிலை |  Chennai MRTS (Thirumayilai ) Purple Line | ||
| 4 | Alwarpet | ஆழ்வார்பேட்டை | |||
| 5 | Bharathidasan Road | பாரதிதாசன் சாலை | |||
| 6 | Boat Club | படகு குழாம் | |||
| 7 | Nandanam | நந்தனம் | Blue Line | 25 May 2018 | |
| 8 | Panagal Park | பனகல் பூங்கா | Under construction | ||
| 9 | Kodambakkam | கோடம்பாக்கம் | South Line, Chennai Suburban (Kodambakkam)
| ||
| 10 | Power House | பவர் ஹவுஸ் | Elevated | ||
| 11 | Vadapalani | வடபழனி | Green Line | 29 June 2015 | |
| 12 | Saligramam | சாலிகிராமம் | Under construction | ||
| 13 | Saligramam Ware House | சாலிகிராமம் கிடங்கு | |||
| 14 | Alwarthiru Nagar | ஆழ்வார் திருநகர் | Red Line | ||
| 15 | Valasaravakkam | வளசரவாக்கம் | |||
| 16 | Karambakkam | காரம்பாக்கம் | |||
| 17 | Alapakkam Junction | ஆலப்பாக்கம் சந்திப்பு | |||
| 18 | Porur Junction | போரூர் சந்திப்பு | |||
| 19 | Porur Bypass | போரூர் புறவழிச்சாலை | |||
| 20 | Thelliyaragaram | தெள்ளியார் அகரம் | |||
| 21 | Iyyapanthangal | ஐயப்பன்தாங்கல் |  Iyyapanthangal Bus Stand
| ||
| 22 | Kattupakkam | காட்டுப்பாக்கம் | |||
| 23 | Kumananchavadi | குமணன்சாவடி | |||
| 24 | Karayanchavadi | கரையான்சாவடி | |||
| 25 | Mullaithottam | முல்லைத்தோட்டம் | |||
| 26 | Poonamallee | பூவிருந்தவல்லி | Poonamallee Bus Terminus
| ||
| 27 | Poonamallee Depot | பூவிருந்தவல்லி பணிமனை | |||
| 28 | Poonamallee Bypass | பூவிருந்தவல்லி புறவழிச்சாலை | |||
See also
References
- "Work commences on Chennai Metro". Projects Today. 11 June 2009. Archived from the original on 25 August 2017. Retrieved 16 August 2010.
- "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.
- "Conditional clearance for Metro Rail". The Hindu. 28 April 2015. Archived from the original on 14 January 2016. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- ^ "Project status of Chennai Metro". Chennai Metro Rail Limited. Archived from the original on 26 September 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2010.
- "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.
- 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.
- "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.
- "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.
- "Chennai metro scraps nine stations in phase 2". The Times of India. 14 May 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
- "Phase II– S98 (Anaimalai) TBM Breakthrough at Venugopal Nagar Shaft" (PDF) (Press release). Chennai Metro Rail Limited. 7 June 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
- ^ Chennai Metro rail phase II (PDF) (Report). Chennai Metro Rail Limited. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
- "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.
- "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.
- 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.
- "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.
- "CMRL submits Detailed Feasibility Reports for Phase II project extension". The Financial Express. 22 September 2023. Archived from the original on 29 April 2024. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
- "Chennai Metro Rail submits report to extend connectivity all the way to second airport site at Parandur". The Hindu. 4 January 2024. Archived from the original on 30 April 2024. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
- "Plans for 44-km metro line to parandur airport likely within a year, may have 19 stations". Times Now. 22 April 2024. Archived from the original on 2 May 2024. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
| Chennai Metro | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange Line 4 |
|  | ||||
| Depot(s) |
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| See also | ||||||
| Bold represents terminal station on the respective main or branch line *Stations in italics are Under Construction | ||||||
