Latest news with #MASiddique
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Automotive
- New Indian Express
CMRL holds trial run on Corridor 4 under Phase 2
CHENNAI: CMRL has begun simultaneous trial runs on both up and down lines of Corridor 4's 9.5km viaduct from Porur junction to Poonamallee bypass as part of its Rs 63,000 crore Phase 2 expansion project. The dual-line trial, which commenced on Friday, signals progress toward the targeted December 2025 launch. Six driverless trains, manufactured by Alstom, will operate on this stretch under unattended train operations, with manual supervision for the first five to six months. 'We are focused on a gradual transition to ensure stability and safety,' said MA Siddique, CMRL MD. The 10-station elevated stretch had earlier seen phased testing on the 3km upline between Mullaithottam and Poonamallee and a 9.1km segment from Porur to Poonamallee. Friday's downline test marked the first full-directional run, with Poonamallee depot serving as the operations hub during commissioning.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
CMRL eyes Dec launch for Porur-Poonamallee line
Chennai: Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) is targeting Dec for commissioning the 9.5-km elevated stretch between Porur Junction and Poonamallee Bypass, with full-scale testing now underway on both tracks. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now On Friday, CMRL ran the first downline trial train from Porur to Poonamallee, after earlier testing the upline in May. The route includes 10 elevated stations and is linked to the Poonamallee Depot, which will serve as the central control point for upcoming rolling stock, power supply, and safety testing. Friday's trial was run at low speed (20kmph) for safety validation. "The same train will return on the upline at full speed today (Friday)," said CMRL managing director M A Siddique. Speed trials will progressively scale up to 70kmph, the line's design speed. Over the next three to four months, CMRL will test all six Alstom-supplied train sets, check rolling stock performance, and begin signal system trials. The line will be equipped for Unattended Train Operation (UTO) — driverless trains. "Initially, trains will be operated with a person onboard. Once confidence is built and systems stabilize, the operation will be fully driverless," Siddique said. The stretch also includes the double-decker segment at Kattupakkam, where the viaduct runs above a highway — completed last month. Siddique said that completing viaduct and track works in this section posed labour mobilisation challenges but was achieved on schedule. The newly charged Auxiliary Substation (ASS) at Poonamallee Bypass, powered by a 33kV supply from the receiving station at the depot, was also inaugurated on Friday. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This energizes key traction and station systems for the trial runs. Once the Porur–Poonamallee stretch opens, work will shift to the Porur–Vadapalani–Power House section and Alapakkam–Chennai Trade Centre segment, both targeted for major completion by June 2026. Meanwhile, tunnelling work from Pondy Bazaar to Kodambakkam is expected to finish by July.
New Indian Express
29-04-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Chennai Metro crosses ‘milestone' as Poonamallee-Porur trial begins
CHENNAI: Chennai Metro Rail has commenced trial operations along the 9.1km stretch from Poonamallee to Porur, part of its Rs 63,246 crore ($7.6bn) Phase II expansion, on Monday evening. The launch of the testing on the entire stretch follows initial trials conducted in March on a shorter segment between Poonamallee and Mullaithottam. Speaking after the latest tests, MA Siddique, managing director of Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL), hailed the development as a 'major breakthrough.' CMRL officials acknowledge that ridership on the new stretch may initially be subdued. True network effects, they argue, will only materialise once connectivity is extended eastward to Kodambakkam Power House - where it will interlink with the Vadapalani station on the operational Green Line - creating a passenger corridor from the suburban west to the heart of Chennai. 'This remains one of our most challenging engineering tasks,' Siddique said, referring specifically to the construction of a complex 4km double-decker viaduct between Alapakkam and Alwarthirunagar. 'That portion will take longer. Our target is to commission it by mid-next year, while simultaneously connecting Koyambedu and the Chennai Trade Centre by mid-June.' Siddique, however, stopped short of offering concrete deadlines. 'We are trying to accelerate the works of the stretch from Porur to Vadapalani, but it is too early to commit. A clearer picture should emerge within two to three months,' he said. The Poonamallee-Porur section not only connects residential and commercial zones but also provides vital logistical support via the Poonamallee Metro Depot, designed to be the operational nerve centre for train testing, maintenance, and future expansions westward. In operational terms, CMRL is adopting a phased commissioning strategy. Initial trials have been conducted at speeds between 15km/h and 20km/h, with higher speeds expected as tests advance. Station construction along the corridor is nearing completion, with work scheduled to conclude over the next two to three months. Siddique noted that while the stretch is built to accommodate six-coach trains, initial operations will commence with three-coach formations, with scope for scaling capacity based on ridership growth. This flexible model reflects lessons learnt from Phase I, where capacity planning and passenger adoption patterns offered insights into Chennai's evolving commuting behaviours.
