Chennai: The first phase of the much-awaited Chennai Rail Metro is all set to be launched today. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa is likely to flag off the project via videoconferencing, sources said.
As part of the first phase, the overhead stretch will connect Alandur in south Chennai to Koyabedu in the north. The 10-km stretch will be covered in 18 minutes. The metro will bear four coaches with a capacity of 1276 passengers and will cover seven stations in the stretch.
The Phase-1 of the Chennai Metro Rail that will cost the state more than Rs. 16,500 crore would cover a 45-km stretch in the city.
Designed as half underground and the rest elevated, one corridor is between Washermanpet and Airport and the other, from Chennai Central to St. Thomas Mount.
The portions from Washermanpet to Saidapet on Anna Salai in corridor I and the portions from Chennai central to Thirumangalam in corridor II will be underground and the remaining portions will be elevated.
Last year, Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu had said the Centre had approved an extension of a nine-km stretch up to Thiruvottiyur from Washermenpet under phase-I of the project in North Chennai. However, it was not included.
