Finance Minister O. Panneerselvam today informed the Assembly that the Metro Rail services between Airport-Little Mount and Alandur-St Thomas Mount would commence next month.

Replying to Pallavaram legislator E. Karunanidhi during the debate on demands for grants, he said work on the two routes would be completed next month and opened for public. The underground metro services would commence by the end of next year.

Meanwhile, the excavation work for the underground stretch of Metro Rail’s Phase I extension to Tiruvottiyur in North Chennai has begun and paper work would begin for construction of the 6.7 km elevated portion.

According to reports, the Chennai Metro Rail Ltd (CMRL) plans to float the tenders by year-end, with the selected company having to design and build stations and viaduct.

CMRL officials said tenders would be called for to validate the design and begin construction after the process of acquiring land for the stretch is completed. “The process may take another two months,” an official reportedly said.

The elevated stretch requires ample space for construction of both the viaduct and the stations. In some parts along the stretch, officials said, the frontage of some buildings came in the way of the viaduct.