Modi inaugurates Chennai Metro Phase-I extension, limited free ride to all

Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) has announced that rides for all passengers taking the green or blue line will be free starting 2 pm on Sunday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurate the Chennai Metro Rail Phase-I extension project, which has been completed at a cost of Rs 3,770 crores.

The 9.05 km long extension will link north Chennai with the Airport and Central Railway Station.

He also inaugurated the fourth Railway line between Chennai Beach and Attipattu. This 22.1 km section, laid at a cost of Rs 293.40 crores, traverses through Chennai and Thiruvallur districts.

Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam were also present there.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi handed over the Arjun Main Battle Tank (MK-1A) to Army Chief General MM Naravane in Chennai.

The tank has been indigenously designed, developed and made by the Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment, attached to the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), along with 15 academic institutions, 8 labs and several MSMEs, according to a release by the Prime Minister's Office.

He will also lay the foundation stone for the extension, renovation and modernization of the Grand Anicut Canal System. The canal is important for irrigation in the delta districts. The modernisation of this canal will be taken up at a cost of Rs 2,640 crores and will lead to an improvement in the water carrying capacity of the canals.The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for the Discovery Campus of IIT Madras. The Campus will be built at Thaiyur near Chennai at an estimated cost of Rs 1,000 crores in the first phase, over an area of 2 lakh sqm.