The proposed 15.46-km metro rail extension intended to improve connectivity to the southern suburban region has been awaiting central clearance for nearly a year since the submission of its detailed project report in April 2025. An official response obtained through a transparency query confirmed that the proposal remains under preliminary scrutiny and has not yet been placed before higher-level investment or economic approval bodies. Key project-related information, including passenger demand estimates and mobility impact assessments, has not been disclosed, raising concerns about transparency and delays in decision-making. The corridor, estimated to cost Rs 9,335 crore, is planned as a 15.46-km elevated stretch with 13 stations, designed to serve major residential clusters and transport interchange points along the southern corridor. The project aims to connect critical transit nodes such as an airport, a major railway junction, and a newly developed bus terminal. If implemented, it is expected to benefit approximately 15 lakh daily commuters by significantly reducing travel time and congestion in the region. The corridor has been planned as a double-decker structure, with the metro rail line on the upper deck and a four-lane elevated roadway below. This integrated design is intended to ease traffic congestion on one of the region’s busiest arterial roads and improve seamless road-rail connectivity toward the southern outskirts. Despite undergoing multiple revisions, receiving state-level approval in April 2025, and securing an allocation of Rs 1,964 crore for preparatory activities in September 2025, the proposal has seen no further movement at the central level. Officials associated with the project indicated that no additional clarifications have been sought since mid-April 2025, leaving the ambitious expansion plan in prolonged limbo.