Tamil Nadu government has renamed 3 Chennai Metro stations after former Chief Minister CN Annadurai, MG Ramachandran, and Jayalalithaa. Alandur, Central, and CMBT Metro stations will henceforth be called Arignar Anna Metro, Puratchi Thalaivan MG Ramachandran Central Metro and Puratchi Thalaivi Dr J. Jayalalithaa Metro respectively.
Speaking about this, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami had said that this decision was following consultations with a high-level committee. He also listed out the steps taken by the AIADMK government under Jayalalithaa in implementing the Metro Rail project in the city.
Earlier, the government had renamed the Central Railway Station after MGR. Meanwhile, the 9-km metro line in north Chennai, from Old Washermenpet to Wimco Nagar, missed its July deadline owing to the pandemic. Work took a hit as equipment could not be imported. Officials said the new deadline would be around early 2021. The north Chennai line will connect Old Washermenpet to Wimco Nagar. It is expected to connect north Chennai areas with significant parts of the city, cutting travel time.
The Chennai Metro is a rapid transit system in the city and it is the third-largest metro system in India after Delhi Metro and Hyderabad Metro. The system commenced service in 2015 after partially opening the first phase of the project.
Tamil Nadu CM (file pic) issues order to rename three Metro stations in Chennai. Alandur Metro to be renamed as Arignar Anna Alandur Metro, Central Metro as Puratchi Thalaivar Dr MG Ramachandran Metro & CMBT Metro as Puratchi Thalaivi Dr J Jayalalithaa CMBT Metro: Tamil Nadu CMO pic.twitter.com/mObExcPniB
— ANI (@ANI) July 31, 2020