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Phase-I launch of the Chennai metro rail is expected to be announced anytime soon as the installation of the metro's crucial operations control centre has been completed by the global engineering services major Siemens.
Siemens is also setting up signal and telecommunications systems for the Rs 20,000-crore project.
In the first phase, a total of 43 trains will be operated with a frequency of ten minutes between two trains, a metro official said.
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Union urban development minister M Venkaiah Naidu, who was in Chennai last week to participate in the International Yoga Day celebrations, said, "I am happy to inform you the first phase of the Chennai metro rail is ready. Once the code of conduct is over, it will be inaugurated".
An inter-agency meeting chaired by urban development ministry decided to amend the Rules of 2013 to enable operations on single line metro sections pending commissioning of subsequent phases.
The amendment to these Rules was carried out in consultation with the Ministry of Railways and the Ministry of Law & Justice.
The amendment to the Rules of 2013 also benefits Chennai Metro enabling operations on the 2.88 km-section between Ashok Nagar and Alandur after safety inspection and thereby facilitating metro connectivity between Koyambedu and Alandur (7.22 km).
