Chennai: Union minister for Urban development M. Venkaiah Naidu announced that the first phase of the Chennai metro rail will be launched immediately after the by-election in Dr Radhakrishnan Nagar Assembly constituency. “I am happy to inform you that the first phase of the Chennai metro rail is ready.
Once the code of conduct is over (June 30), it will be inaugurated,” he said at a meeting.
According to sources the state municipal administration department has sought status report from the metro rail authorities and in all probability the new service that will make commuting a lot easier and faster in the city, will be inaugurated in July.
The ministry of urban development amended the Metro Rail General Rules, 2013, last month, to allow operations on single line. Accordingly, from Koyambedu to Ashok Pillar, Chennai metro will run with operations on both tracks and from then on till Alandur, on a single track, the ministry had stated in a release last month.
Unveiling the first car-body shell manufactured for Kochi Metro in Alstom transport’s facility in SriCity integrated business city near Chennai, Mr Venkaiah said while the metro was not viable in many cities it was suitable for many others. The cost of setting up a metro network is around Rs 250 crore per km. Metro networks in nine cities covering 223 km at a cost of Rs 83,000 crore were under consideration of the central government.