Chennai Metro: Modi launches last stretch of Phase-I

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday threw open the last stretch of the first phase of 45-km Chennai Metro rail network through video-conferencing from Tiruppur in Tamil Nadu.

The 9-km-long stretch connecting AG-DMS with Washermanpet is the last to be inaugurated, while the remaining 36-km were thrown open in six phases since 2015.

Modi launched the stretch from Tiruppur through video conferencing while Union Minister for Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri, Industries Minister M C Sampath and Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar flagged off the train from Chennai Central Metro station.

With the inauguration by Modi, the Phase-I project of Chennai Metro with two corridors –Chennai Airport to Washermanpet and Chennai Central railway station – achieved completion. The metro rail project was approved in 2009 and construction began in 2010.

The first stretch from Koyambedu-Alandur was launched by the then Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in June 2015. From then other stretches Little Mount-Airport, Koyambedu-Nehru Park, Nehru Park-Chennai Central and Little Mount-AG-DMS were inaugurated.

The Metro traverses through some of the densely populated areas in the city and with the inauguration of new line, one can travel from Chennai Central to Airport in about 30 minutes. The metro will also connect the northern part of the city, considered undeveloped, with other parts of the city through Metro enabling thousands of people from the area to enjoy a comfortable ride.

The project was executed by the Union Government and Tamil Nadu Government with assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

With the Phase-I over, focus has now shifted to Phase-II which envisages connecting another 100-km through the new age transport system. The Phase-II is expected connect the IT corridor, residential areas of the city and suburbs like Poonnamalle and Tambaram.