Red Line (Chennai Metro)
The Red Line or Line 5 is one of the under construction lines of Chennai Metro Phase-II stretching from Madhavaram Milk Colony to Sholinganallur. The 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 approved by Government of Tamilnadu on May 2025. The branch line will consist of 19 elevated stations.
Planning and construction
Phase II
The construction of the first phase of Chennai Metro started in June 2009. Commercial operations started on the green line in June 2015. On 10 February 2019, the extension of blue line was opened, completing the first phase of the metro.In July 2016, Government of Tamil Nadu announced that the second phase would have three lines totaling in length with 104 stations. Two corridors would extend from Madhavaram connecting with Siruseri and Sholinganallur respectively with the third corridor connecting Koyambedu with Lighthouse. The fifth line connecting Madhavaram Milk Colony and Sholinganallur will extend to of which would be elevated and underground. It will consist of 48 stations including six undergrounds stations. The stations for the second phase were designed to be smaller than the existing stations operational in the first phase.
On 20 November 2020, foundation stone for the second phase was laid and construction commenced. In November 2022, Alstom was awarded the contract to supply metro coaches for the phase II expansion. In May 2023, CMRL announced a revised plan for the second phase revising the station count on the fifth line to 45. As per the final plan, the line will extend for.
The second phase is estimated to cost of which initially was loaned by JICA. On 14 February 2021, Prime Minister of India announced that the government has set aside for the construction of phase II and further extension. The line is expected to be completed by 2028.