State Finance Minister O Panneerselvam, in his budget speech, said services in the elevated stretches from Little Mount to Airport and between Alandur and St Thomas Mount would commence shortly.
"The passenger services in the first underground stretch will also commence by the end of this year," he said, adding that substantial progress has been achieved in the implementation of Phase-I of the project.
Metro Rail services here was inaugurated last year between Koyambedu and Alandur, a 10.15 km elevated stretch.