Chennai, Oct 11 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Sunday flagged off the first stretch of Corridor 4 in Chennai’s Phase 2 metro expansion, marking a new milestone in the city’s expanding public transport system.
PM Modi also took a ride on the newly inaugurated Metro stretch, being built at a cost of Rs 4,900 crore, along with the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister.
Many city locals as well as passengers expressed joy and elation over launch of Metro services, welcoming this as a move that will bring complete turnaround in the city’s transportation, settling the perennial issues of traffic chaos and snarl.
A passenger, expressing happiness, told IANS, “The launch of the new Metro rail service from Poonamallee is a very happy moment for us. Students travelling from Poonamallee to Vadapalani, as well as working professionals and other commuters, have been facing severe traffic congestion.”
“With the introduction of this new Metro rail service, students can reach their schools and colleges, while working professionals can commute to their workplaces more quickly and conveniently,” he added.
“We are extremely happy that Metro rail services have now been introduced in the suburban areas of Chennai. This new service will make daily travel easier and save valuable time for the public,” the passenger said.
Another passenger Sridharan said, “We are from Avadi, and we are extremely happy that the new Metro rail service has been introduced in our region. We have been waiting for this service for a long time, and its arrival has brought us great joy.”
He also added that the Metro service will make travelling to Chennai much faster and more convenient and help passengers save travel time, avoid traffic congestion, and enjoy a more comfortable journey.
“We are delighted that this long-awaited metro service is finally becoming a reality for people like us,” he said.
Notably, the Rs 4,900 crore metro stretch is a complex piece of urban infrastructure, being built around a 3.5 km double-decker viaduct, cutting through one of the city’s most congested corridors.
–IANS
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