Six stations on the Poonamallee–Vadapalani stretch are being skipped at first: Alapakkam, Karambakkam, Valasaravakkam, Alwarthirunagar, Saligramam and Avichi School. The line is ready, but their station buildings were not. Roofing, cladding, entrances and other finishing work were still pending in July, and four are complex double-decker stations. No firm CMRL opening date for them has been published.

Updated 11 October 2026, the day the stretch was reported for inauguration by the Prime Minister (All India Radio News, 8 October 2026). We describe the opening as scheduled, not completed. Full line details: Chennai Metro Poonamallee–Vadapalani Line Is Open: Timings, 11 Stations, Fares & Property Impact (2026)

Which stations are skipped?

NativePlanet's opening report lists 11 stations in service and says six double-decker stations will be bypassed initially because work continues: Alapakkam, Karambakkam, Valasaravakkam, Alwarthirunagar, Saligramam and Avichi School. Swarajya and NativePlanet, both reporting on 27 July 2026, name the same six, giving the first as Alapakkam Junction.

A naming caution. Wikipedia's Yellow Line page does not list an Avichi School station; between Vadapalani and Porur it lists Kodambakkam Powerhouse, Saligramam, Virugambakkam South, Alwarthirunagar, Valasaravakkam, Karambakkam and Alapakkam, all as not yet open. Whether Avichi School and Virugambakkam South are the same station under different names is for CMRL's signage to settle; we have not confirmed it.

Why were they skipped?

Because the station buildings were behind the viaduct and track. Swarajya (27 July 2026) reported that the 14.6 km corridor had secured its safety approvals and was technically ready, while the six stations still needed roofing, cladding, granite flooring, entrances and exits, toilets and other finishing work. NativePlanet's report of the same day says the stations were originally due for completion in June 2026.

Four of the six are harder builds. DT Next reported in July 2024 that Alwarthirunagar, Valasaravakkam, Karambakkam and Alapakkam are double-decker stations: the Yellow Line (Corridor 4) and Red Line (Corridor 5) run one above the other on shared piers along Arcot Road, with a common ticketing concourse, which DT Next described as the first such arrangement in India. Swarajya added that roof installation at these four requires power shutdowns because of overhead electrical lines.

Running trains past unfinished stations is a common way to open a line in stages. The trade-off, as officials told NativePlanet, is that finishing work becomes harder once trains are running, because worker access is restricted during operating hours.

When will the skipped stations open?

There is no CMRL date that we could verify. What the sources say:

  • NativePlanet (27 July 2026): station construction expected to finish by the end of September 2026, followed by safety inspections, with passenger operations at these stations in October or November 2026.
  • Wikipedia's Yellow Line page: November 2026 for all seven stations between Vadapalani and Porur, including Kodambakkam Powerhouse. Wikipedia is a secondary source and this date may not reflect CMRL's latest plan.
  • Construction World (8 September 2026): about 300 metres of track was still pending on the double-decker section, as part of the work for the Red Line's Koyambedu to Chennai Trade Centre stretch. The four double-decker stations will only work as interchanges once the Red Line's Koyambedu section opens, for which trials are targeted from November 2026.
  • Our reading: the stations could open within months of the inauguration, but the July target has already slipped once. Treat late 2026 or early 2027 as a working assumption, and ask CMRL or the seller for written confirmation before paying for proximity.

What is the double-decker stretch for?

It lets both corridors share one alignment along a crowded arterial road instead of two separate viaducts. For residents it means the four stations will become interchanges: a passenger at Valasaravakkam will eventually be able to ride west to Porur and Poonamallee, east to Vadapalani, or switch to the Red Line for Koyambedu, Ramapuram, Manapakkam, Alandur and on to Medavakkam and Sholinganallur. That is the long-run case for this belt, and the reason it should end up better connected than a single-line station. Red Line details: Chennai Metro Red Line (Corridor 5): Madhavaram to Sholinganallur Stations, Trial Runs and Opening Timeline (2026)

Homes in the skipped-station neighbourhoods

Property Point's catalogue has three projects in Valasaravakkam and none listed in Alapakkam, Karambakkam, Alwarthirunagar or Saligramam. Figures are Property Point listing data (developer information, indicative, October 2026); prices change with the developer's price sheet. We have not measured walking distance to a station.

  • Radiance Majestic, Valasaravakkam: 2 to 4 BHK, 936 to 2,436 sq ft, ₹1.15 to 2.97 crore (about ₹12,250 per sq ft), under construction, possession listed August 2030. RERA TN/29/Building/0386/2022. Radiance Majestic Valasaravakkam
  • Navin's Mayura Gardens, Valasaravakkam: 2 to 4 BHK, 1,093 to 1,931 sq ft, from ₹1.44 crore (about ₹13,200 per sq ft), new launch, possession listed December 2027. RERA TNRERA/29/BLG/0403/2025. Review: Navin's Mayura Gardens, Valasaravakkam: Review 2026 — Price, Pros, Cons and Who It Suits
  • DRA Infinique, Valasaravakkam: 3 and 4 BHK, 1,841 to 2,140 sq ft, ₹2.26 to 2.63 crore (about ₹12,275 per sq ft), under construction, possession listed November 2031, RERA TN/29/Building/483/2023. Dra Infinique Valasaravakkam

Nearby, on stations that are open or coming

Should you wait for the station before buying?

  • If you are buying to live, the station's exact opening month matters less than the walk to it, school runs and road access to your workplace. A few months' delay rarely changes the decision.
  • If you are paying a premium for metro proximity, wait for the station to open or insist the price reflects that it has not.
  • Expect continued finishing work around these stations for some time: hoardings, lane closures and night work near the entrances.
  • Check how the premium FSI concession near metro lines may bring taller buildings nearby. Chennai's 50% Premium FSI Concession Near Metro Lines: What It Means for Flats Along Phase 2 (2026)