Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay jointly launched the first train on Chennai Metro Rail’s Phase 2 network on Sunday, adding a new milestone to the city’s public transport expansion.
The ceremony took place at Porur Bypass Road Metro station during PM Modi’s first Chennai visit since the Vijay-led government assumed office.
Earlier, Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Arlekar, Chief Minister Vijay and several political leaders received the Prime Minister at Chennai airport.
Before flagging off the train, PM Modi and Vijay reviewed the facilities at Porur Bypass Road station.
The Prime Minister also asked officials about the Metro network and the arrangements for running the new services.
The Poonamallee-Vadapalani corridor, constructed for Rs 750 crore, will initially serve 11 stations.
PM Modi used the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) to purchase his ticket before boarding the train with Vijay.
They travelled from Porur Bypass Road station to Poonamallee, where officials briefed them on the system’s functioning.
The Prime Minister also spoke with students and workers during the journey.
The visit included several transport infrastructure initiatives. PM Modi laid foundation stones for national highway projects and opened completed works with a combined value of Rs 3,700 crore.
He also dedicated railway infrastructure projects worth Rs 750 crore to the nation, supporting improvements to the state’s transport facilities.
At Chennai Port, the Prime Minister inaugurated four infrastructure projects designed to strengthen maritime facilities and increase cargo-handling capacity.
Authorities implemented extensive security arrangements throughout Chennai for the visit, which featured the Metro launch alongside infrastructure initiatives in road, rail and maritime transport.
Also Read: PM Modi Arrives In Chennai To Launch Metro Corridor, Other Development Projects
To read more such news, download Bharat Express news apps
