Line 3 (Chennai Metro)

The Purple Line or Line 3 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 Madhavaram Milk Colony to Siruseri SIPCOT. The 45.4 km (28.2 mi) long line will consist of 47 stations, out of which 28 will be underground and 19 will be at grade or elevated.

Purple Line (Line 3)
Overview
StatusUnder construction
Termini
Connecting linesOperational (3):
Blue Line Green Line  Chennai MRTS 
Upcoming (2):
Red Line Orange Line
Stations47
Service
TypeRapid transit
SystemChennai Metro
Operator(s)Chennai Metro Rail Limited
Technical
Line length45.4 km (28.2 mi)
Number of tracks2
Character26.3 km (16.3 mi) Underground
19.1 km (11.9 mi) Elevated
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Electrification25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead catenary
Operating speed80 km/h (50 mph)
Route map

Madhavaram Milk Colony Red Line
Madhavaram High Road
Moolakadai
Sembiyam
Perambur Market
Perambur Mainline rail interchange
Ayanavaram
Otteri
Pattalam
Perambur Barracks Road
Purasaiwakkam
Kellys
Kilpauk Green Line
Chetpet Mainline rail interchange
Sterling Road
Nungambakkam
Anna Flyover
Thousand Lights Blue Line
Royapettah
Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai
Thirumayilai Mainline rail interchange Orange Line
Mandaveli
Greenways Road
Adyar Junction
Adyar Depot
Indira-Nagar Mainline rail interchange
Thiruvanmiyur Mainline rail interchange
Chennai MRTS
Tharamani
Nehru Nagar
Kandanchavadi
Perungudi
Thoraipakkam
Mettukuppam
PTC Colony
Okkiyampet
Karapakkam
Okkiyam Thoraipakkam
Sholinganallur Red Line
Sholinganallur Lake I
Sholinganallur Lake II
Nookampalayam metro depot
Semmancheri I
Semmancheri II
Gandhi Nagar
Navallur
Siruseri
SIPCOT 1
SIPCOT 2

Planning and construction

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Phase II

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The construction of the first phase of Chennai Metro started in June 2009.[1] Commercial operations started on the green line in June 2015.[2][3][4] On 10 February 2019, the extension of blue line was opened, completing the first phase of the metro.[5]

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.[6][7] Two corridors would extend from Madhavaram connecting with Siruseri and Sholinganallur respectively (lines 3 and 5) with the third corridor connecting Koyambedu with Lighthouse (line 4). The third line connecting Madhavaram Milk Colony and Siruseri SIPCOT will extend to 45.8 km (28.5 mi) of which 19.1 km (11.9 mi) would be elevated and 26.7 km (16.6 mi) underground. It will consist of 50 stations including 30 undergrounds stations.[8][9] The stations for the second phase were designed to be smaller than the existing stations operational in the first phase.[10]

On 20 November 2020, foundation stone for the second phase was laid and construction commenced.[11] In November 2022, Alstom was awarded the contract to supply metro coaches for the phase II expansion.[12] In May 2023, CMRL announced a revised plan for the second phase revising the station count on the third line to 47.[13] As per the final plan, the fourth line will extend for 45.4 km (28.2 mi).[14]

Chennai Metro - Phase II[15]
Line Name Terminals Length (km) Stations Status
Purple Line Madhavaram Siruseri 45.4 46 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.[8][16][17] 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.[18]

Phase II extension

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In 2022, the state government proposed an extension plan for the third line from Siruseri to Kilambakkam, covering an approximate 25 km (16 mi).[19] In September 2023, feasibility report was submitted by CMRL for the proposed expansion of the line, green lighting the same.[20] The extension was scrapped due to patronage and profitability concerns.[21]

Chennai Metro - Phase II Extension[20][21]
Line Terminals Length Stations Status
Purple Line Siruseri Kilambakkam 25 km (16 mi) TBD DFR submitted; Proposal dropped

Stations

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Purple Line
S.No Station Name[15] Connections Layout Opened
English Tamil
1 Madhavaram Milk Colony மாதவரம் பால் பண்ணை   Red Line[§] Underground Under construction
2 Madhavaram High Road மாதவரம் நெடுஞ்சாலை
3 Moolakadai மூலக்கடை
4 Sembiyam செம்பியம்
5 Perambur Market பெரம்பூர் அங்காடி
6 Perambur பெரம்பூர்   West Line, Chennai Suburban (Perambur)
7 Ayanavaram அயனாவரம் Ayanavaram MTC Bus Depot
8 Otteri ஓட்டேரி
9 Pattalam பட்டாளம்
10 Perambur Barracks Road பெரம்பூர் பேரக்ஸ் சாலை
11 Purasaiwakkam புரசைவாக்கம்
12 Kellys கெல்லீஸ்
13 Kilpauk கீழ்ப்பாக்கம்   Green Line 15 May 2017
14 Chetpet சேத்துப்பட்டு   South Line, Chennai Suburban (Chetpet) Under construction
15 Sterling Road ஸ்டெர்லிங் சாலை
16 Nungambakkam நுங்கம்பாக்கம்
17 Anna Flyover அண்ணா மேம்பாலம்
18 Thousand Lights ஆயிரம் விளக்கு   Blue Line 10 February 2019
19 Royapettah ராயப்பேட்டை Under construction
20 Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai டாக்டர் ராதாகிருஷ்ணன் சாலை
21 Thirumayilai திருமயிலை   Chennai MRTS (Thirumayilai)
  Orange Line[§]
22 Mandaiveli மந்தைவெளி   Chennai MRTS (Mandaveli)
23 Greenways Road பசுமைவழிச் சாலை   Chennai MRTS (Greenways Road)
24 Adyar Junction அடையாறு சந்திப்பு
25 Adyar Depot அடையாறு பணிமனை
26 Indira Nagar இந்திரா நகர்   Chennai MRTS (Indira Nagar)
27 Thiruvanmiyur திருவான்மியூர்   Chennai MRTS (Thiruvanmiyur)
28 Taramani தரமணி   Chennai MRTS (Taramani)
29 Nehru Nagar நேரு நகர் Elevated
30 Kandanchavadi கந்தன்சாவடி
31 Perungudi பெருங்குடி
32 Thoraipakkam துரைப்பாக்கம்
33 Mettukuppam மேட்டுக்குப்பம்
34 PTC Colony பி.டி.சி. காலனி
35 Okkiyampet ஒக்கியம்பேட்டை
36 Karapakkam காரப்பாக்கம்
37 Okkiyam Thoraipakkam ஒக்கியம் துரைப்பாக்கம்
38 Sholinganallur சோழிங்கநல்லூர்   Red Line[§]
39 Sholinganallur Lake I சோழிங்கநல்லூர் ஏரி I
40 Sholinganallur Lake II சோழிங்கநல்லூர் ஏரி II
41 Nookampalayam Depot நூகம்பாளையம் பணிமனை
42 Semmancheri I செம்மஞ்சேரி I
43 Semmancheri I செம்மஞ்சேரி II
44 Gandhi Nagar காந்தி நகர்
45 Navallur நாவலூர்
46 Siruseri சிறுசேரி
47 SIPCOT 1 சிப்காட் 1
48 SIPCOT 2 சிப்காட் 2

§ under construction

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Work commences on Chennai Metro". Projects Today. 11 June 2009. Archived from the original on 25 August 2017. Retrieved 16 August 2010.
  2. ^ "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.
  3. ^ "Conditional clearance for Metro Rail". The Hindu. 28 April 2015. Archived from the original on 14 January 2016. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ a b "Project status of Chennai Metro". Chennai Metro Rail Limited. Archived from the original on 26 September 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2010.
  9. ^ "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.
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ "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.
  12. ^ "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.
  13. ^ "Chennai metro scraps nine stations in phase 2". The Times of India. 14 May 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  14. ^ "Phase II– S98 (Anaimalai) TBM Breakthrough at Venugopal Nagar Shaft" (PDF) (Press release). Chennai Metro Rail Limited. 7 June 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  15. ^ a b Chennai Metro rail phase II (PDF) (Report). Chennai Metro Rail Limited. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  16. ^ "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.
  17. ^ "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.
  18. ^ 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.
  19. ^ "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.
  20. ^ a b "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.
  21. ^ a b "Metro from Siruseri- Kilambakkam Bus Terminus Metro Plans Dropped, deemed non-feasible". Times Now. 9 May 2024. Archived from the original on 11 May 2024. Retrieved 11 May 2024.