Proud moment: Chennaiites enjoy first metro ride

<p style="margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 17.9200000762939px; text-align: justify;"><span style="outline: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.0080003738403px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.538em;">The dream of Chennaiites to commute in a modern metro rail became a reality, after Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa inaugurated the Rs 14,600 crore project on Monday.</span></p><p style="margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 17.9200000762939px; text-align: justify;">The first train started from Alandur station to run to Koyambedu, moments after Jayalalithaa presses the button from the Secretariat.</p><p style="margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 17.9200000762939px; text-align: justify;">It will be a fully paid service from day one, contrary to some media reports that suggested free rides for a while for people to get acclimatised to the metro system.</p><p style="margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 17.9200000762939px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: 17.9200000762939px;">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.</span></p>