Chennai Metro Line 3 (Purple Line)
As of 19 Oct 2026, Chennai Metro Line 3 (Purple Line) is under construction. Latest news: 15 Oct 2026.
Chennai Metro Line 3, the Purple Line, is a 45.8 km Phase II corridor from Madhavaram Milk Colony to Siruseri SIPCOT II on OMR. CMRL's alignment has 47 stations, 28 underground and 19 elevated. As of October 2026 it is under construction: tunnelling continues in the city core, and piling and girder casting are complete from Nehru Nagar to Sholinganallur. No opening date has been announced.
Why it matters
Line 3 is the longest Phase II corridor and the first north to south metro through central Chennai. It links Madhavaram and Perambur in the north with Kilpauk, Nungambakkam, Mylapore and Adyar, then runs along the OMR IT corridor to the SIPCOT park at Siruseri. It is planned to connect with the Blue Line at Thousand Lights, the Green Line at Kilpauk, the Yellow Line at Thirumayilai, the Red Line at Madhavaram Milk Colony and Sholinganallur, and the MRTS at three stations.
Key facts
- Operator: Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL); operations and maintenance of all three Phase II corridors contracted to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) for about 15 years (agreement July 2025)
- Length: 45.8 km, 47 stations
- Status (October 2026): Under construction, not open to passengers (October 2026). Tunnelling continues on the 26.7 km underground section from Madhavaram Milk Colony to Tharamani (TBM breakthroughs at Kilpauk on 29 September and Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai on 1 October 2026). On the elevated OMR section, piling and all U-girder casting between Nehru Nagar and Sholinganallur are complete. CMRL has announced no opening date; it targets completion of all of Phase II by the end of 2028.
- Cost: Part of Chennai Metro Phase II, ₹63,246 crore for all three corridors (118.9 km), approved by the Union Cabinet on 3 October 2024; no separate Corridor 3 cost is published. Corridor 3 is part-funded by JICA and ADB loans.
- Trains: Driverless three-car trains (DMC+TC+DMC); Alstom's June 2025 order for 32 trains (96 cars) serves Phase II but is not assigned to a specific corridor. Line 3 is to be maintained at Madhavaram depot (shared with Line 5) and Semmancheri depot.
Chennai Metro Line 3 (Purple Line) stations
The 47 stations below run from Madhavaram Milk Colony to Siruseri SIPCOT II. Interchanges are listed where a station connects with another line or a railway station.
| # | Station | Type | Connects to |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Madhavaram Milk Colony | Underground | Line 5 (Red), under construction |
| 2 | Madhavaram High Road | Underground | |
| 3 | Moolakkadai | Underground | |
| 4 | Sembiyam | Underground | |
| 5 | Perambur Market | Underground | |
| 6 | Perambur | Underground | Perambur railway station (suburban) |
| 7 | Ayanavaram | Underground | |
| 8 | Otteri | Underground | |
| 9 | Pattalam | Underground | |
| 10 | Perambur Barracks Road | Underground | |
| 11 | Purasaiwakkam | Underground | |
| 12 | Kellys | Underground | |
| 13 | Kilpauk | Underground | Line 2 (Green), Kilpauk station |
| 14 | Chetpet | Underground | Chetpet railway station (suburban) |
| 15 | Sterling Road | Underground | |
| 16 | Nungambakkam | Underground | |
| 17 | Anna Flyover | Underground | |
| 18 | Thousand Lights | Underground | Line 1 (Blue) |
| 19 | Royapettah | Underground | |
| 20 | Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai | Underground | |
| 21 | Thirumayilai | Underground | Line 4 (Yellow) / Chennai MRTS |
| 22 | Mandaiveli | Underground | |
| 23 | Greenways Road | Underground | |
| 24 | Adyar Junction | Underground | |
| 25 | Adyar Depot | Underground | |
| 26 | Indira Nagar | Underground | Chennai MRTS |
| 27 | Thiruvanmiyur | Underground | Chennai MRTS |
| 28 | Tharamani | Underground | |
| 29 | Nehru Nagar | Elevated | |
| 30 | Kandanchavadi | Elevated | |
| 31 | Perungudi | Elevated | |
| 32 | Thoraipakkam | Elevated | |
| 33 | Mettukuppam | Elevated | |
| 34 | PTC Colony | Elevated | |
| 35 | Okkiyampet | Elevated | |
| 36 | Karapakkam | Elevated | |
| 37 | Okkiyam Thoraipakkam | Elevated | |
| 38 | Sholinganallur | Elevated | Line 5 (Red), under construction |
| 39 | Sholinganallur Lake I | Elevated | |
| 40 | Sholinganallur Lake II | Elevated | |
| 41 | Semmancheri I | Elevated | |
| 42 | Semmancheri II | Elevated | |
| 43 | Gandhi Nagar | Elevated | |
| 44 | Navallur | Elevated | |
| 45 | Siruseri | Elevated | |
| 46 | Siruseri SIPCOT I | Elevated | |
| 47 | Siruseri SIPCOT II | Elevated |
Sections and opening dates
| Section | Stations | km | Status | Opened or expected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madhavaram Milk Colony to Tharamani | 28 | 26.7 | Under construction (twin-bore tunnels and underground stations) | expected 2028 |
| Nehru Nagar to Siruseri SIPCOT II | 19 | 19.1 | Under construction (elevated viaduct along OMR; Nehru Nagar to Sholinganallur by L&T, Sholinganallur Lake I to SIPCOT II by RVNL) | expected 2027 |
Explore more
Official source: chennaimetrorail.org/phase-ii
Latest updates
58 tenders tracked →Phases
| Phase | Lines | Stations | Length (km) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madhavaram Milk Colony to Tharamani | Madhavaram Milk Colony to Tharamani | 28 | 26.7 | Under construction (twin-bore tunnels and underground stations) |
| Nehru Nagar to Siruseri SIPCOT II | Nehru Nagar to Siruseri SIPCOT II | 19 | 19.1 | Under construction (elevated viaduct along OMR; Nehru Nagar to Sholinganallur by L&T, Sholinganallur Lake I to SIPCOT II by RVNL) |
Milestones
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah lays the foundation stone for Chennai Metro Phase II
- L&T awarded underground package TU-02 (Kellys to Taramani Road Junction, about 12 km twin tunnels) for ₹2,385 crore (award month May 2021)
- L&T awarded the elevated viaduct between Nehru Nagar and Sholinganallur (award month May 2022)
- RVNL emerges lowest bidder (₹901.15 crore) for the 10.13 km Sholinganallur Lake to SIPCOT 2 elevated section
- Pier construction begins on the Sholinganallur to SIPCOT stretch
- Union Cabinet approves Chennai Metro Phase II (three corridors, ₹63,246 crore)
- CMRL and DMRC sign the operations and maintenance agreement for Phase II Corridors 3, 4 and 5
- Downline TBM Noyyal breaks through at Mandaiveli station (package TU-02)
- CMRL reports 100% piling (3,066 piles) and all 582 U-girders cast between Nehru Nagar and Sholinganallur
- Downline TBM Kaveri breaks through at Kilpauk Medical College station
- Downline TBM Adyar breaks through at Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai station
Frequently asked questions
What is the route of Chennai Metro Line 3?
Line 3 (Corridor 3) runs 45.8 km from Madhavaram Milk Colony in north Chennai to Siruseri SIPCOT II on OMR. About 26.7 km is underground, up to Tharamani, and about 19.1 km is elevated along OMR.
How many stations does Chennai Metro Line 3 have?
CMRL's alignment shows 47 stations: 28 underground from Madhavaram Milk Colony to Tharamani and 19 elevated from Nehru Nagar to Siruseri SIPCOT II. Some reports give 48 to 50, based on earlier plans.
When will Chennai Metro Line 3 open?
CMRL has not announced an opening date. Officials have targeted the elevated OMR section for 2027, and CMRL aims to complete all of Phase II by the end of 2028.
What colour is Chennai Metro Line 3?
It is commonly called the Purple Line, and CMRL's own route map draws it in purple. DMRC's July 2025 release called it the Indigo Line; CMRL has not yet published a colour name on its website.
Where can passengers change lines on Line 3?
Planned interchanges include Thousand Lights (Blue Line), Kilpauk (Green Line), Thirumayilai (Yellow Line and MRTS), Madhavaram Milk Colony and Sholinganallur (Red Line), Indira Nagar and Thiruvanmiyur (MRTS), and Perambur and Chetpet (suburban rail).
Who is building and operating Line 3?
Chennai Metro Rail Limited is the owner. Contractors include L&T, Tata Projects and RVNL for civil works, and DMRC holds the operations and maintenance contract for Phase II.
Journey Planner & Route Map
Awarded tenders & contracts
No awarded tenders or contracts recorded yet.
Ongoing tenders
| Tender | Agency | Value | Bid due | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chennai Water Metro: CMRL floated tender for DPR along Buckingham Canal | CMRL | Open | ||
| Chennai Metro Line 3: PSD Door System Supply | CMRL | Subscribers | Subscribers | Under evaluation |
| Chennai Metro Phase 1 & 2 Expansion: Bids Invited for DPRs’ Preparation | CMRL | Subscribers | Under evaluation |
Upcoming tenders
No upcoming tenders announced yet.
Bid values, closing dates and awardees are for subscribers. See plans.