DMK's MK Stalin, DMDK's Vijayakant take ride in Chennai Metro Rail

CHENNAI: The Metro Rail fever seems to have caught up with politicians, with DMK Treasurer M K Stalin and DMDK founder Vijayakant taking a ride in the newly launched services here today.

The Alandur-Koyambedu sector, first phase of the Rs 14,600 crore Metro Rail project, was flagged off by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Sunday.

Stalin was accompanied by his supporters,including former Mayor M Subramaniam and travelled from Koyambedu to Alandur, while Vijayakant, the Opposition Leader in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, opted to travel from the opposite side with his senior colleagues in tow.

Both leaders insisted that the multi-crore project was initiated by the previous DMK government.

"The vehicular congestion will now be avoided, travel time cut down and air quality will be better (since it is a low polluting mode of transport)," Stalin told reporters, adding that the project took shape during DMK period.

He said he had interacted with the passengers who had overwhelmingly sought reduction of the ticket costs.

Vijayakant, while pointing out that the DMK chief M Karunanidhi was instrumental in bringing the project to this city, questioned why Jayalalithaa had not participated in the public event.