Chennai Metro Line 5 (Red Line)
As of 19 Oct 2026, Chennai Metro Line 5 (Red Line) is under construction. Latest news: 15 Oct 2026.
Chennai Metro Line 5, the Red Line, is Corridor 5 of CMRL's Phase II: a 47 km line from Madhavaram Milk Colony to Sholinganallur via Villivakkam, Koyambedu, Valasaravakkam, Alandur and Medavakkam. It has 45 stations, with 41.2 km elevated and 5.8 km underground. As of October 2026 no section is open; trial runs on the Koyambedu to Chennai Trade Centre stretch are targeted for November 2026.
Why it matters
Line 5 is the longest of the three Phase II corridors and the only one that runs as an outer north to south arc, linking north Chennai and the Koyambedu bus hub with Alandur, St. Thomas Mount and the Medavakkam to Sholinganallur belt without passing through the city centre. It connects with both Phase I lines, the suburban rail network and the MRTS, and shares a double-decker viaduct with Line 4 between Alwarthirunagar and Alapakkam.
Key facts
- Operator: Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL); operations and maintenance contracted to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC)
- Length: 47 km, 45 stations
- Status (October 2026): Under construction (October 2026). No section is open to passengers. Track work on the Koyambedu to Chennai Trade Centre stretch is largely done and CMRL is targeting trial runs from November 2026, followed by about four months of trials. The 3.6 km link from Chennai Trade Centre to Alandur is still being built, so services to Alandur are expected in early 2027. Phase II as a whole is targeted for completion by end-2028.
- Cost: No separate figure published for Line 5; Chennai Metro Phase II (three corridors, 118.9 km) is sanctioned at ₹63,246 crore (Union Cabinet, 3 October 2024)
- Trains: BEML, three-car trains designed for driverless (GoA4) operation, from the 70-train ARE02 order shared with Line 3; depot at Madhavaram
Chennai Metro Line 5 (Red Line) stations
The 45 stations below run from Madhavaram Milk Colony to Sholinganallur. Interchanges are listed where a station connects with another line or a railway station.
| # | Station | Connects to |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Madhavaram Milk Colony | Line 3 (Purple), shared station |
| 2 | Madhavaram Depot | |
| 3 | Assisi Nagar | |
| 4 | Manjambakkam | |
| 5 | Velmurugan Nagar | |
| 6 | Madhavaram Bus Terminus | Madhavaram mofussil bus terminus |
| 7 | Shastri Nagar | |
| 8 | Retteri Junction | |
| 9 | Kolathur Junction | |
| 10 | Srinivasa Nagar | |
| 11 | Villivakkam | Villivakkam railway station (suburban) |
| 12 | Villivakkam Bus Terminus | |
| 13 | Villivakkam MTH Road | |
| 14 | Anna Nagar West | |
| 15 | Thirumangalam Junction | Line 2 (Green) |
| 16 | Anna Nagar KV | |
| 17 | Koyambedu | Line 2 (Green) |
| 18 | Koyambedu Market | |
| 19 | Natesan Nagar | |
| 20 | Virugambakkam | |
| 21 | Alwarthirunagar | Line 4 (Yellow), shared double-decker station |
| 22 | Valasaravakkam | Line 4 (Yellow), shared double-decker station |
| 23 | Karambakkam | Line 4 (Yellow), shared double-decker station |
| 24 | Alapakkam | Line 4 (Yellow), shared double-decker station |
| 25 | Mugalivakkam | |
| 26 | Ramapuram | |
| 27 | Manapakkam | |
| 28 | Chennai Trade Centre | |
| 29 | Butt Road | |
| 30 | Alandur (Arignar Anna Alandur) | Line 1 (Blue) / Line 2 (Green) |
| 31 | St. Thomas Mount | Line 2 (Green) / suburban railway / MRTS |
| 32 | Adambakkam | MRTS |
| 33 | Vanuvampet | |
| 34 | Ullagaram | |
| 35 | Madipakkam | |
| 36 | Kilkattalai | |
| 37 | Echangadu | |
| 38 | Kovilambakkam | |
| 39 | Vellakkal | |
| 40 | Medavakkam I | |
| 41 | Medavakkam II | |
| 42 | Perumbakkam | |
| 43 | Classical Tamil Institute | |
| 44 | ELCOT Park | |
| 45 | Sholinganallur | Line 3 (Purple), shared station |
Sections and opening dates
| Section | Stations | km | Status | Opened or expected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Koyambedu to Chennai Trade Centre (Nandambakkam) | 12 | 12 | Civil and track work largely complete (about 90% of track laid, Sept 2026); traction and signalling tests pending; trial runs targeted for November 2026 | expected early 2027 (after about four months of trials) |
| Chennai Trade Centre (Nandambakkam) to Alandur | 2 | 3.6 | Under construction along Butt Road; CMRL plans to run the first Line 5 services up to Alandur | expected Q1 2027 |
| Alandur to Sholinganallur | 15 | Under construction; piers and all precast elements of the Ullagaram to Sholinganallur package complete (Aug to Oct 2026), girder erection and station works continuing | expected 2027 to 2028 | |
| Madhavaram Milk Colony to Koyambedu | 16 | Under construction, includes the 5.8 km underground stretch from Kolathur to Villivakkam MTH Road (tunnelling by TBM since February 2025) | expected by end-2028 |
Explore more
Official source: chennaimetrorail.org/phase-2
Latest updates
58 tenders tracked →Phases
| Phase | Lines | Stations | Length (km) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Koyambedu to Chennai Trade Centre (Nandambakkam) | Koyambedu to Chennai Trade Centre (Nandambakkam) | 12 | 12 | Civil and track work largely complete (about 90% of track laid, Sept 2026); traction and signalling tests pending; trial runs targeted for November 2026 |
| Chennai Trade Centre (Nandambakkam) to Alandur | Chennai Trade Centre (Nandambakkam) to Alandur | 2 | 3.6 | Under construction along Butt Road; CMRL plans to run the first Line 5 services up to Alandur |
| Alandur to Sholinganallur | Alandur to Sholinganallur | 15 | Under construction; piers and all precast elements of the Ullagaram to Sholinganallur package complete (Aug to Oct 2026), girder erection and station works continuing | |
| Madhavaram Milk Colony to Koyambedu | Madhavaram Milk Colony to Koyambedu | 16 | Under construction, includes the 5.8 km underground stretch from Kolathur to Villivakkam MTH Road (tunnelling by TBM since February 2025) |
Milestones
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah lays the foundation stone for Chennai Metro Phase II
- CMRL signs the ₹1,817.54 crore C5-UG06 contract with Tata Projects for five underground stations and twin tunnels between Kolathur and Villivakkam MTH Road
- BEML wins rolling stock contract ARE02 for 70 three-car trains for Lines 3 and 5
- Union Cabinet approves Chennai Metro Phase II at ₹63,246 crore, including the 47 km Madhavaram to Sholinganallur corridor
- Tunnel boring machine Kurinji starts the first Line 5 tunnel drive from the Kolathur ramp
- DMRC awarded the operations and maintenance contract for Corridors 3, 4 and 5
- TBM Kurinji breaks through at Kolathur station, the first breakthrough on Line 5
- Last of 824 U-girders cast for the ECV-02 elevated package (13.1 km viaduct)
- Final pier (P814) completed on the 11.3 km Ullagaram to ELCOT package near Medavakkam
- All 3,126 precast elements cast for the Ullagaram to Sholinganallur package
Frequently asked questions
Is Chennai Metro Line 5 open?
No. As of October 2026 no part of Line 5 carries passengers. CMRL is targeting trial runs on the Koyambedu to Chennai Trade Centre stretch from November 2026.
What is the route of the Red Line?
Line 5 runs from Madhavaram Milk Colony in north Chennai to Sholinganallur on the OMR, via Kolathur, Villivakkam, Anna Nagar, Koyambedu, Valasaravakkam, Alandur, St. Thomas Mount and Medavakkam.
How long is Line 5 and how many stations does it have?
CMRL gives the length as 47 km, of which 41.2 km is elevated and 5.8 km underground. CMRL's station list has 45 stations, six of them underground.
When will the first section open?
Trials on the Koyambedu to Chennai Trade Centre section are expected to last about four months, and CMRL plans to start services up to Alandur, so the first opening is likely in early 2027. No date has been announced.
Where can passengers change lines?
Planned interchanges include Thirumangalam and Koyambedu (Line 2), Alandur (Lines 1 and 2), St. Thomas Mount (Line 2, suburban rail and MRTS), Madhavaram Milk Colony and Sholinganallur (Line 3), and four double-decker stations shared with Line 4.
Who will run the trains?
CMRL owns the line. Operations and maintenance of all three Phase II corridors have been contracted to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, and the trains are three-car sets from BEML built for driverless operation.
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.