Metro Rail News (Chennai): Last week, Aarvee Associates Architects Engineers and Consultants Pvt. Ltd. emerged as the lowest bidder to draft a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Chennai Metro Line-4 extension from Poonamallee Bypass to Parandur Airport.
The construction is underway for Line 4 which stretches about 26.1km from Light House to Poonamallee Bypass as part of the 116.1 km Chennai Metro Phase 2.
In April 2023, Chennai Metro Rail Ltd. (CMRL) appointed a consultant to assess the feasibility of extending this line to Sriperumbudur. In the same year, the state government resolved to extend the line to Chennai’s new greenfield airport in Parandur.
Following the approval, CMRL issued a call for bids to appoint the DPR consultant in February 2024, setting a 180-day deadline without disclosing the estimated cost. When the technical bids were opened in April 2024, five bidders emerged. However, AECOM India – URS Scott Wilson India JV’s bid was disqualified due to non-compliance with the tender conditions.
| Firm | Bid Value |
| Aarvee Associates | 2.05 crore |
| SYSTRA MVA Consulting | 2.14 crore |
| Balaji Railroad Systems | 2.27 crore |
| Urban Mass Transit Company | 3.10 crore |
The DPR aims to outline key aspects of the line, such as its length, route composition (including underground, elevated, and at-grade sections), station locations, depot specifications, coach requirements, ridership projections, operational strategies, total cost estimation, and other relevant factors.
Chennai Metro Phase 2
In 2019, the Tamil Nadu government approved the Chennai Metro Phase 2 project. It comprises three new lines covering 116.1 km. In December 2018, RITES finalized the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for Phase 2. Chennai Metro Phase 2 is likely to be completed and opened in stages starting from 2026 onwards. Upon the completion of Phase 2 around 2030 (estimated), Chennai’s metro network will extend to approximately 173 km in length.
