Two more underground stretches of Chennai Metro opened to the public.

Passengers can now travel from the Chennai airport to the city’s Central railway station at a fourth of the fare of a call taxi - thanks to the opening of two underground stretches of the Chennai Metro rail.

The fare from the airport to Chennai Central via Koyambedu (25 km) will be Rs. 70 as against Rs. 330 that a call-taxi charges.

“I am very happy with the launch of the service right up to Central, even though it is long route. However, I don’t mind spending the time,” said P Varadarajan, who lives in Triplicane and is a frequent-flier to Delhi. “It is very cheap and convenient,” he said. Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Union Minister of State for Housing & Urban Affairs, Hardeep Singh Puri, jointly inaugurated both the Nehru Park-Chennai Central and the Saidapet-AG-DMS stretches. Palaniswami said over 1.64 crore people had travelled in Chennai Metro till date. Phase-I of the project, which covers 45 km, will be completed by the end of this year, he added. Puri, in a tweet, said the reliable, convenient, efficient and affordable mode of public transport will integrate the city and generate thousands of direct and indirect economic and employment opportunities.

The stretch between Saidapet and AG-DMS will enable train services between the airport and AG-DMS, and between Little Mount and AG-DMS.

The fare from airport to AG-DMS will be Rs. 50 and from St Thomas Mount to AG-DMS will be Rs. 40. Following Friday’s inauguration, the maximum fare on the Metro will be Rs. 70 and the minimum, Rs. 10 (Teynampet to AG-DMS).

HBL