Line 5 (Chennai Metro)

The Red Line or Line 5 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 Sholinganallur. The 44.6 km (27.7 mi) long line will consist of 45 stations, out of which six will be underground and 39 will be at grade or elevated. A branch line of corridor five, known as Line 5B, from Koyambedu to Pattabiram has been proposed with its Detailed Project Report submitted to Government of Tamilnadu on February 2025, currently awaiting approval. The 21.76 km (13.52 mi) branch line will consist of 19 elevated stations.^[2]

Red Line (Line 5)
Overview
Status	Under Construction
Termini	Madhavaram Milk Colony, Pattabiram(ORR) and Sholinganallur
Connecting lines	Operational (5): Blue Line Green Line  Chennai Suburan West Line ,  Chennai Suburan South Line ,  Chennai MRTS  Upcoming (2): Purple Line Orange Line
Stations	45 (Under construction) + 19 (planned)
Service
Type	Rapid transit
System	Chennai Metro
Operator(s)	Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC)[1]
Technical
Line length	66.3 km (41.2 mi)
Number of tracks	2
Character	5.8 km (3.6 mi) Underground 38.8 km (24.1 mi) Elevated
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead catenary
Operating speed	80 km/h (50 mph)
Route map Legend West Line Pattabiram Depot Chennai ORR Pattabiram Hindu College Kavarapalayam Madhavaram Milk Colony Purple Line Avadi Madhavaram Depot Murugappa College Assisi Nagar Vaishnavi Nagar Manjambakkam Thirumullaivoyal Velmurugan Nagar Shobha Nagar Madhavaram Bus Terminus Ambattur OT Sastri Nagar Ambattur Retteri Junction Ambattur railway station Kolathur Kamarajapuram Srinivasa Nagar Chennai Bypass Road Villivakkam Telephone-Exchange Villivakkam railway station Ambattur Estate Villivakkam Bus Terminus Mannurpet Villivakkam MTH Road Golden Colony Anna Nagar West Park Road Thirumangalam Green Line Padi Pudhu Nagar Anna Nagar KV Koyambedu Green Line Koyambedu Market Natesan Nagar Virugambakkam Alwarthirunagar Orange Line Valasaravakkam Orange Line Karambakkam Orange Line Alapakkam Junction Orange Line Mugalivakkam Ramapuram Manapakkam Adyar River Chennai Trade Centre Butt Road Alandur Blue LineGreen Line Chennai MRTS St. Thomas Mount Green Line South Line St. Thomas Mount railway station Adambakkam Vanuvampet Ullagaram Madipakkam Kilkattalai Echangadu Kovilambakkam Vellakkal Medavakkam I Medavakkam II Perumbakkam Classical Tamil Institute Elcot Sholinganallur Purple Line

Planning and construction

Phase II

The construction of the first phase of Chennai Metro started in June 2009.^[3] Commercial operations started on the green line in June 2015.^[4][5][6] On 10 February 2019, the extension of blue line was opened, completing the first phase of the metro.^[7]

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.^[8][9] 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 fifth line connecting Madhavaram Milk Colony and Sholinganallur will extend to 47 km (29 mi) of which 41.2 km (25.6 mi) would be elevated and 5.8 km (3.6 mi) underground. It will consist of 48 stations including six undergrounds stations.^[10][11] The stations for the second phase were designed to be smaller than the existing stations operational in the first phase.^[12]

On 20 November 2020, foundation stone for the second phase was laid and construction commenced.^[13] In November 2022, Alstom was awarded the contract to supply metro coaches for the phase II expansion.^[14] In May 2023, CMRL announced a revised plan for the second phase revising the station count on the fifth line to 45.^[15] As per the final plan, the fourth line will extend for 45.4 km (28.2 mi).^[16]

Chennai Metro - Phase II^[17]

Line Name	Terminals		Length (km)	Stations	Status
Red Line	Madhavaram Milk Colony	Sholinganallur	44.6	45	Under construction

The second phase is estimated to cost ₹63,246 crore (US$7.4 billion) of which initially ₹4,710 crore (US$550 million) was loaned by JICA.^[10][18][19] On 14 February 2021, Prime Minister of India announced that the government has set aside ₹63,000 crore (US$7.4 billion) for the construction of phase II and further extension.^[20] The line is expected to be completed by 2028.^[21]

Phase II extension

In 2022, the state government proposed a branch extension for the fifth line from Koyambedu to Avadi, covering an approximate 16.1 km (10.0 mi).^[22] In early 2024, feasibility report was submitted by CMRL for the proposed expansion of the line, green lighting the same.^[23] It was later decided to extend the line till Pattabiram. Detailed Project Report is prepared and submitted to Government of Tamil Nadu on February 2025, and the project is currently awaiting approval.^[2] A depot near Pattabiram stretch of Outer Ring Road is also planned.

Chennai Metro - Phase II Extension - Line 5B^[23][2]

Line	Terminals		Length	Stations	Status
Red Line	Koyambedu	Pattabiram	21.76 km (13.52 mi)	19	DPR submitted

Stations

Red Line
S.No	Station Name[17]		Expected Opening[24]	Connections	Layout
	English	Tamil
1	Madhavaram Milk Colony	மாதவரம் பால் பண்ணை	December 2026	Purple Line  (Under Construction)	Underground
2	Madhavaram Depot	மாதவரம் பணிமனை	December 2026		At-grade
3	Assisi Nagar	அசிசி நகர்	December 2026		Elevated
4	Manjambakkam	மஞ்சம்பாக்கம்	December 2026		Elevated
5	Velmurugan Nagar	வேல்முருகன் நகர்	December 2026		Elevated
6	Madhavaram Bus Terminus	மாதவரம் பேருந்து நிலையம்	December 2026	Madhavaram Mofussil Bus Terminus	Elevated
7	Shastri Nagar, Chennai	சாஸ்திரி நகர்	December 2026		Elevated
8	Retteri Junction	ரெட்டேரி சந்திப்பு	December 2026		Elevated
9	Kolathur Junction	கொளத்தூர் சந்திப்பு	December 2026		Underground
10	Srinivasa Nagar	சீனிவாச நகர்	December 2026		Underground
11	Villivakkam	வில்லிவாக்கம்	December 2026	West Line, Chennai Suburban (Villivakkam)	Underground
12	Villivakkam Bus Terminus	வில்லிவாக்கம் பேருந்து நிலையம்	December 2026		Underground
13	Villivakkam MTH Road	வில்லிவாக்கம் எம்.டி.எச் சாலை	December 2026		Underground
14	Anna Nagar West	அண்ணா நகர் மேற்கு	December 2026		Elevated
15	Thirumangalam	திருமங்கலம்	December 2026	Green Line	Elevated
16	Anna Nagar KV	அண்ணா நகர் கே.வி	December 2026		Elevated
17	Koyambedu	கோயம்பேடு	December 2026	Green Line	Elevated
18	Koyambedu Market	கோயம்பேடு அங்காடி	December 2026		Elevated
19	Natesan Nagar	நடேசன் நகர்	December 2026		Elevated
20	Virugambakkam	விருகம்பாக்கம்	December 2026		Elevated
21	Alwarthirunagar	ஆழ்வார்திருநகர்	December 2026	Orange Line  (Under Construction)	Elevated
22	Valasaravakkam	வளசரவாக்கம்	December 2026	Orange Line  (Under Construction)	Elevated
23	Karambakkam	காரம்பாக்கம்	December 2026	Orange Line  (Under Construction)	Elevated
24	Alapakkam Junction	ஆலப்பாக்கம் சந்திப்பு	December 2026	Orange Line  (Under Construction)	Elevated
25	Mugalivakkam	முகலிவாக்கம்	December 2026		Elevated
26	Ramapuram	ராமாபுரம்	December 2026		Elevated
27	Manapakkam	மணப்பாக்கம்	December 2026		Elevated
28	Chennai Trade Centre	சென்னை வர்த்தக மையம்	December 2026		Elevated
29	Butt Road	பட் சாலை	December 2026		Elevated
30	Alandur	ஆலந்தூர்	December 2026	Blue Line   Green Line	Elevated
31	St. Thomas Mount	பரங்கிமலை	December 2026	Green Line  South Line, Chennai Suburban (St. Thomas Mount) Chennai MRTS[§] (St. Thomas Mount)	Elevated
32	Adambakkam	ஆதம்பாக்கம்	December 2026	Chennai MRTS[§] (Adambakkam)	Elevated
33	Vanuvampet	வானுவம்பேட்டை	December 2026		Elevated
34	Ullagaram	உள்ளகரம்	December 2026		Elevated
35	Madipakkam	மடிப்பாக்கம்	December 2026		Elevated
36	Kilkattalai	கீழ்க்கட்டளை	December 2026		Elevated
37	Echangadu	ஈச்சங்காடு	December 2026		Elevated
38	Kovilambakkam	கோவிலம்பாக்கம்	December 2026		Elevated
39	Vellakkal	வெள்ளக்கல்	December 2026		Elevated
40	Medavakkam I	மேடவாக்கம் I	December 2026		Elevated
41	Medavakkam II	மேடவாக்கம் II	December 2026		Elevated
42	Perumbakkam	பெரும்பாக்கம்	December 2026		Elevated
43	Classical Tamil Institute	செம்மொழித் தமிழாய்வு நிறுவனம்	December 2026		Elevated
44	Elcot	எல்காட்	December 2026		Elevated
45	Sholinganallur	சோழிங்கநல்லூர்	December 2026	Purple Line  (Under Construction)	Elevated

^§ under construction

See also

• List of rapid transit systems in India
• List of metro systems