Updated 30 October 2026. The Chief Minister asked the Prime Minister for early approval on 11 October 2026, which shows the file was still pending that day. We found no report of approval since then. Here are the route, the named stations, the money and the approval trail.

Airport to Kilambakkam metro route

The line runs south along GST Road from Chennai Airport, through Pallavaram, Chromepet, Tambaram, Perungalathur and Vandalur, to the Kilambakkam bus terminus (Swarajya, 22 March 2026). It is planned as a double-decker: metro on the upper level and a four-lane elevated road below it, meant to ease traffic on GST Road.

Airport to Kilambakkam metro stations

Reports give 13 elevated stations. The reports we read name only eight, and we could not find the full list published by CMRL, so we are not filling the gaps:

  • Chennai Airport
  • Pallavaram
  • Chromepet
  • Tambaram
  • Perungalathur
  • Vandalur
  • Arignar Anna Zoological Park
  • Kilambakkam Bus Terminus

How much will it cost?

  • Project: about ₹9,335 crore, including the elevated road (Swarajya, 22 March 2026; Metro Rail Today, 14 May 2026).
  • Preparatory works: ₹1,964 crore allotted by the state in September 2025 (DT Next, 28 May 2026).
  • Of that: land acquisition about ₹1,816 crore, and ₹112.50 crore for road works, surveys, barricading and related tasks (DT Next).
  • Expected users: about 15 lakh commuters (Swarajya).

Airport to Kilambakkam metro status: is it approved?

It is approved by the state and not by the Centre. The latest position, step by step:

  • February 2025: CMRL gave the DPR to the Tamil Nadu government.
  • April 2025: the state approved it and the DPR went to the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry.
  • September 2025: the state allotted ₹1,964 crore for preparatory works.
  • March 2026: an RTI reply showed the proposal under preliminary examination. Officials said it had not reached the Public Investment Board or the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (Swarajya, 22 March 2026).
  • May 2026: DT Next reported the same position 13 months after submission.
  • 11 October 2026: the Chief Minister asked for early approval of Phase 3, naming this corridor (ThePrint/PTI; DT Next).

Did the Union Cabinet approve the Kilambakkam metro?

We do not think so. One property site, Verified.RealEstate, wrote in May 2026 that it had Union Cabinet approval, at about ₹9,000 crore with 12 stations. Those numbers differ from every other report, and the Chief Minister's request of 11 October treats the project as still waiting. Check any such claim against a Cabinet press note before you rely on it.

When will the Kilambakkam metro open?

No date has been announced, and any year you see quoted is a guess. Once the Centre clears it, watch for funding agreements, contractor awards and land handover. Those are the real signs of progress. Overview of all three proposed corridors: Chennai Metro Phase 3 Routes: Kilambakkam, Pattabiram 2026

Will the metro go beyond Kilambakkam to Chengalpattu?

It is being studied. CMRL invited bids in July 2026 for a DPR on a roughly 25 km extension from Kilambakkam to Chengalpattu (Angel One). A DPR is a study, not an approval, and the extension depends on this first stretch.

What should buyers on GST Road do?

Treat this line as a possible long-term benefit, not a present one. GST Road already has suburban rail and the road network, so judge a home in Tambaram, Vandalur or Perungalathur on those. If a brochure says metro nearby, ask which line, what stage it is at, and where the source is. Area guides: Tambaram, Chennai: Buyer's Guide 2026 — Prices, Metro, Projects and Risks, Vandalur, Chennai: Buyer's Guide 2026 — Prices, Metro, Projects and Risks and Living in Chromepet, Pallavaram and the GST Road Belt: A 2026 Resident's and Buyer's Guide