The final 10km section of Chennai Metro Rail’s Blue line in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu has been opened for passenger services.
The last stretch runs between AG-DMS and Washermanpet and was inaugurated by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi through video conferencing.
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Following the opening of the final extension, all 45km of the Chennai Metro’s Phase I project is now operational.
Chennai Metro Rail (CMRL), a joint venture between the state and union governments, operates the city’s metro network.
According to The Hindu Businessline, the metro line will enable passengers to reach Chennai International Airport from Washermanpet in around 45 minutes, reducing the commuting time by nearly half.
The 10km stretch is completely underground and includes eight stations. It also offers connectivity to the Green Line (Line 2) at Chennai Central station.
Starting in September 2016, Chennai Metro’s Blue Line was opened in multiple stages. Overall, the line features 11 underground and six elevated stations.
Soil testing for Chennai Metro’s Phase II is currently underway. The second phase comprises 119km of track over three metro corridors.
CMRL signed a loan agreement with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to build Phase II.
Last week, the state government allocated Rs26.81bn ($378m) for the Chennai Metro Rail Project in the budget estimates for 2019-20.
It added that the Phase I extension, which includes a 9km stretch up to Tiruvottriyur/Wimco Nagar, is expected to be commissioned by June 2020.
