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One of Chennai's most advanced and challenging transport projects is now moving closer to operation. The city's first double-decker metro viaduct, which carries metro trains above a busy main road, will undergo its first trial run on Sunday, January 11. This trial will be conducted by Chennai Metro Rail Limited
(CMRL) on the Porur-Vadapalani stretch, which is part of Phase II of the Chennai Metro expansion.
Trial Runs of Chennai
According to CMRL, this trial run comes after the successful completion of traction testing and electrification work, which is expected to finish by Friday midnight. Before the trial run, integrated system tests will be carried out on Saturday. These tests will check how different systems work together, including train movement, power supply, and signalling. The exact timing of the Sunday trial run will be announced later.
Porur-Vadapalani Section
The Porur-Vadapalani section is important for two main reasons. First, it is one of the earliest Phase II stretches to reach the trial stage. Second, it features a double-decker design, which is still uncommon in Indian cities. This special structure enables the metro line to be built above an existing road, thereby avoiding land acquisition and maintaining road traffic flow in a crowded part of Chennai.
This corridor is also significant for city connectivity. It runs through busy east-west routes that connect the western suburbs with central Chennai. The area serves many residential neighbourhoods, schools and colleges, hospitals, and growing commercial zones. Once operational, it is expected to reduce travel time and traffic congestion greatly.
The project has been built through round-the-clock work, involving hundreds of engineers, technicians, and workers handling civil, electrical, and signalling tasks. If testing goes as planned, the corridor is likely to open for public use by February, offering faster and smoother travel for commuters.
