Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) will start train services on the Phase 2 Yellow Line at 6 am from October 23, an hour earlier than the current schedule. The decision follows feedback from commuters seeking more convenient travel timings on the 15-km Corridor 4 stretch between Poonamallee Bypass and Vadapalani.
Trains will operate from 6 am to 9 pm in both directions under the revised schedule. Until now, services on this stretch have started at 7 am and continued until 9 pm.
In a release, CMRL said the revised timings would make early-morning journeys more convenient for passengers travelling towards Vadapalani and Poonamallee.
Apart from changes to operating hours, commuters have urged CMRL to increase the frequency of trains on the Poonamallee-Vadapalani corridor.
Trains currently run at intervals of around 10 minutes during peak hours. Passengers want the waiting time reduced to six or seven minutes to make journeys more convenient, especially during busy periods.
Under the current schedule, trains will run every 10 minutes from Monday to Saturday during peak hours, between 8 am and 11 am and between 5 pm and 8 pm.
During non-peak hours, trains will operate every 15 minutes. These periods are between 6 am and 8 am, 11 am and 5 pm, and 8 pm and 9 pm.
Commuters seek longer operating hours
The change comes after commuters raised concerns about train timings and frequency on the Poonamallee-Vadapalani stretch. A recent report by The Hindu also highlighted passengers’ demands for improvements to the service.
Since trains began running on this stretch last week, services have operated between 7 am and 9 pm. Commuters had called for timings similar to those on Chennai Metro’s Phase 1 network, where trains run from 5 am to 11 pm.
While the first service will now begin an hour earlier, passengers have also asked CMRL to extend the last train service until 11 pm. They say longer operating hours would provide more travel options for those commuting later in the evening.
Chennai Metro Phase 2: Which stations are covered under the new Metro Yellow Line?
The stations covered under the new Metro Yellow Line are Poonamallee Bypass, Poonamallee Bus Stand, Poonamallee Government Hospital, Karayanchavadi, Kumananchavadi, Kattupakkam, Iyappanthangal, Thelliyaragaram, Porur Bypass, Porur Junction and Vadapalani.
The new stretch is expected to ease daily commutes, improve connectivity and reduce travel time for passengers travelling along the route.