<p>Steered by a young woman, the first train of the Chennai Metro Rail chugged off from Alandur Station here today after being flagged off by chief minister J Jayalalithaa.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The first train which left at 12.15 PM from Alandur to Koyambedu was driven by A Preethi, a 28 year old diploma holder in engineering from Government Dharmambal Polytechnic College here.<br /><br />The Chief Minister inaugurated it by flagging it off via live video from the State Secretariat here. "I am excited, my daughter's dream of becoming a loco pilot of Metro Rail has come true," Preethi's father R Anbu told PTI.<br /><br />He explained how his daughter was chasing her dream of becoming a loco pilot after the metro rail project began taking shape.<br /><br />"She quit her first job, applied for a job in Chennai Metro rail, and she was the first woman to get selected," he said with joy.<br /><br />"Three other women joined as pilots after her and I am happy that she was successful," he said.<br /><br />Preethi was trained for a year and half like others here and in Delhi for the purpose.<br /><br />Meanwhile, the sprawling and swanky Alandur metro station, the biggest in Chennai, was brimming with activity, with enthusiastic passengers eager to board the first train.<br />"I wanted to board the first metro train, I hope metro makes travel easier and a pleasure," said K Ramesh a young executive.</p>
<p>Steered by a young woman, the first train of the Chennai Metro Rail chugged off from Alandur Station here today after being flagged off by chief minister J Jayalalithaa.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The first train which left at 12.15 PM from Alandur to Koyambedu was driven by A Preethi, a 28 year old diploma holder in engineering from Government Dharmambal Polytechnic College here.<br /><br />The Chief Minister inaugurated it by flagging it off via live video from the State Secretariat here. "I am excited, my daughter's dream of becoming a loco pilot of Metro Rail has come true," Preethi's father R Anbu told PTI.<br /><br />He explained how his daughter was chasing her dream of becoming a loco pilot after the metro rail project began taking shape.<br /><br />"She quit her first job, applied for a job in Chennai Metro rail, and she was the first woman to get selected," he said with joy.<br /><br />"Three other women joined as pilots after her and I am happy that she was successful," he said.<br /><br />Preethi was trained for a year and half like others here and in Delhi for the purpose.<br /><br />Meanwhile, the sprawling and swanky Alandur metro station, the biggest in Chennai, was brimming with activity, with enthusiastic passengers eager to board the first train.<br />"I wanted to board the first metro train, I hope metro makes travel easier and a pleasure," said K Ramesh a young executive.</p>