On September 20, AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa dedicated to the city, the second stretch of Chennai Metro Rail from Little Mount to Chennai airport, making it the last project she launched while in office as Chief Minister. Two days later, she was rushed to Apollo Hospitals.
Union Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu fondly recollected the event: “I always admired her courage, conviction, dynamism, wisdom — bold administration. She was very affectionate towards me,” he said after paying last respects to her.
After inaugurating the line through video conferencing, she spoke of how the share of public transport will substantially increase with the integration of buses, suburban rail, air services and Metro Rail and eventually the Monorail.
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The Metro Rail project has always been a bone of contention, with Ms. Jayalalithaa and DMK treasurer M.K. Stalin squabbling over who should take credit for bringing the facility to the city.
In 2015, soon after the first service of Chennai Metro between Koyambedu and Alandur was launched, the DMK claimed to have initiated the project.
She was quick to retaliate and dismiss their claims; rattling out every single detail about the progress of the project during her regime and charged the DMK with confusing people to gain political mileage.
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Apart from the Independence Day celebrations, the last public project the former Chief Minister personally attended was also that of Chennai Metro Rail.