Chennai: Chennai metro line extension foundation got laid by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.  Union urban development minister Venkaiah Naidu was also present on Saturday. The Chennai metro will cover a 9-km distance from Washermenpet to Wimco Nagar, with a capital expenditure of R3,770 crore.

The current Metro project, covering 45.1 km, is being implemented with an estimated investment of R14,600 crore. A 10-km distance between Koyambedu and Alandur has already gone on stream in 2015 and the work on the remaining will be completed in the next six to eight months.

Jayalalithaa thanked both the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union minister during her speech for the speedy clearance of the project.

The Chief Minister pointed out that till the previous DMK regime was in power, only three per cent of the works on Metro Rail Project were completed. After her government assumed office, 98 per cent of works have been completed for elevated routes and metro stations while 65 per cent of works have been completed for underground routes and their metro stations.