Chennai goes on metro map, CM J Jayalalithaa to launch service today

CHENNAI: Come Monday, Chennai will have one more attraction to flaunt — the metro rail.

Chief minister J Jayalalithaa will declare open the 10km elevated section of metro rail from Koyambedu to Alandur through video-conferencing from the state secretariat on Monday. The exact time of the inauguration, however, was not officially announced on Sunday. The launch was originally scheduled for Sunday.

The ambitious project was conceived by the previous DMK regime in 2008. It was approved by the Centre in early 2009, and construction began later that year. However, it gathered pace in the last four years of the Jayalalithaa government. Even though the election commission is said to have given concurrence for the launch after the RK Nagar bypoll on Saturday, the government and CMRL put off the inauguration till Monday, sources said.

The first train is expected to move out of Alandur station and preparations are in full swing in the stations that fall on the first stretch. Nine rakes will be used to run services from 6am to 11pm or midnight.

The stations on the route between Koyambedu and Alandur — CMBT, Arumbakkam, Vadapalani, Ashok Nagar and Ekkatuthangal — would complement public transportation on Jawaharlal Nehru Salai or 100ft Road and link EMUs at Alandur railway station. The elevated corridor is almost complete between Alandur and Little Mount, while underground work is gathering pace on Anna Salai and Poonamallee High Road. The project, estimated at 14,600 crore, would cover 45kms in two corridors comprising 32 stations.

"We are gearing up for commissioning the services on Monday," said an official. Ticket sales are expected to start in the afternoon. Senior officials and other staff members are planning to assemble at Alandur station at 10am on Monday.