All set for Chennai Metro Rail from today

The long wait of people of the city to travel by Chennai Metro Rail will finally come to an end with the first service chugging off at noon today.

Four years after work began, the first metro train will leave Alandur station for Koyambedu after Chief Minister Jayalalithaa inaugurates the project through a video conference, official sources said.

The most eagerly awaited project will make Chennai stand alongside New Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Jaipur to have metro connectivity.

According to sources, the minimum fare may be Rs. 10 and the maximum Rs. 40 for this 10 kilometre stretch – with the ride expected to take less than 20 minutes.

“When other corridors open, the fare for distances beyond 10 km will be decided. Also, there may be an additional discount for commuters who purchase Metro Rail smart cards,” an official said.

Initially, there will be nine trains running between Koyambedu and Alandur with a frequency of about 10 minutes, officials said.

The trains will halt for 30 seconds in each station.

Though Chennai Metro Rail trains can travel at a maximum speed of 80 km/hour, they are expected to run about 35 km/hour. Each Chennai Metro Rail train can carry about 1,200 people.

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Source:Thehindu