Two new underground stretches of Chennai Metro Rail – Nehru Park to Chennai Central and Saidapet to AG-DMS, have finally become functional on May 25th, after six years of construction. CM E.K. Palaniswami and Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri inaugurated the stretches from the Chennai Egmore Metro Rail station on Friday.

With this new stretch opened, commuters can now take a direct metro ride from airport to Chennai Central for a cost of Rs.70.

These two stretches are the fourth and fifth to be opened in the network. “The entire phase I project covering 45 km will be completed by the end of this year,” The Hindu reported Mr.Palaniswami as saying.