Chennai: Steered by two women loco pilots, two Metro trains glided out of the Chennai Airport station and wended their way to Little Mount on Wednesday.
Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa and Union Urban Development Minister
M. Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated the new stretch from different locations.
Flagging off the trains and throwing open the stations on the corridor through video conferencing from the Secretariat, Ms Jayalalithaa said launching of the new transport system is one of the many steps that she has taken to realise her dream of making Chennai a modern city of 21st century.
Recalling that the 10.15-kms elevated section from Koyambedu to Alandur was inaugurated by her a year ago, the Chief Minister said operations on the 1.28 km stretch from Alandur to St. Thomas Mount will also commence shortly after obtaining clearance from the Commissioner for Metro Rail Safety.
“The share of public transport in Chennai will be substantially enhanced with seamless integration of buses, suburban train services, air services, metro rail and eventually the monorail,” she said, and added that very soon, direct trains will be run on the loop line available at Alandur so that direct train connections can be provided from Koyambedu to the Airport, without having to change at Alandur.
Mr Naidu, who flagged off the trains at the Chennai Airport station along with his colleague in the Union Cabinet Pon Radhakrishnan and traveled on it, said Chennai metro project will provide improved access to public transport for the citizens of Chennai.
“This link will cater to the domestic and international travellers who will benefit from reaching Chennai airport avoiding the road traffic,” he said.
Lavishing praise on Ms Jayalalithaa, Mr. Naidu said Tamil Nadu is a progressive state and the Central government is extending whole-hearted support to the Tamil Nadu government in implementing infrastructure and development projects.
“I would like to assure the State government that the Centre is ready to walk an extra mile to help those affected by the recent floods, especially the housing needs of the affected people,” Mr Naidu, who is also the Housing Minister, said. With the inauguration of this 9-km stretch, 20 kms of the 45km-long Phase 1 of the Chennai Metro is now functional.
Ms Jayalalithaa also thanked JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) and government of Japan for their support in the Metro rail project and requested support in the 400 MLPD desalination plant project near Chennai, Chennai Peripheral Ring Road and TN Investment Promotion Programme.
