Chennai Metro completed a 1.08 km underground tunnel between Kolathur and Srinivasa Nagar stations on November 13. The tunnel boring machine Kurinji finished this drive for Corridor 5. Tata Projects Limited is building this section to improve connectivity between Madhavaram and Sholinganallur. The work faced many challenges beneath residential areas.

Chennai's Metro expansion has marked another construction milestone, with a 1.08 km underground tunnel completed between Kolathur and Srinivas Nagar Metro stations. The breakthrough records progress on Corridor 5 of the Phase 2 project, which is being developed to enhance Metro connectivity between Madhavaram and Sholinganallur.

As per Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL), tunnel boring machine (TBM) Kurinji successfully reached the north shaft of Srinivasa Nagar Metro Station on November 13, 2026. The machine started its journey from Kolathur Metro Station on November 27, 2025, spanning 1,080 metres before completing the tunnel drive.

CMRL shared the update through its official post on X and also shared video footage of the breakthrough along with construction details.

Chennai Metro Corridor 5: Key project details

The Madhavaram-Sholinganallur corridor will consist of underground and elevated sections. The underground construction package includes five Metro stations and two ramps.

Key pointers:

Tunnel completed: 1,080 metres between Kolathur and Srinivasa Nagar.

Corridor length: 47 km, including 5.8 km underground and 41.2 km elevated.

Breakthrough date: November 13, 2026.

Tunnel boring machines: Kurinji, Marutham, Mullai and Neithal.

Tunnelling beneath residential areas: What were the challenges?

As per the CMRL release, constructing the underground section faced several technical challenges, especially because the alignment passes beneath a densely populated residential area.

The tunnel boring machine navigated a sharp curve with a radius of 230 metres while passing through different geological conditions, consisting of soil, head rock, and weathered rock. The alignment also passed more than 70 borewells and open wells. Despite these challenges, CMRL stated that the tunnelling work was completed without disrupting the general public or ongoing road traffic.

Who is executing the underground Metro project?

As per CMRL, Tata Projects Limited is conducting the underground construction work under Package C5UG06 on Corridor 5, with funding assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The official release also mentions about a 3.78 km of tunnel completion on Corridor 5, showcasing the progress of underground construction. The CMRL Managing Director Ashish Chatterjee, Director (Projects) T. Archunan and other project officials along with representatives from Tata Projects and the general consultants were present during the event.

What does the development mean for Chennai commuters?

The breakthrough represents another step towards completing the underground infrastructure needed for the Metro Phase 2. Once the Madhavaram-Sholinganallur corridor is completed and commissioned, it is likely to expand Metro connectivity along its planned alignment.

However, the latest announcement relates to a construction milestone rather than the launch of passenger services. CMRL has not shared a commercial operations start date for this section in the announcements.

Further construction, installation of Metro systems, testing and commissioning will be needed before the corridor can open for passengers.