Finally, Chennai begins its Metro rail journey.

For 28-year-old A Preethi, it was a special day. She was at the controls for Chennai's first metro rail trip, guiding the sleek blue-and-silver four-car train smoothly out of Alandur station at around 12.15 pm. Dressed in a brown salwar suit, Preethi, an engineering diploma holder, was surrounded by lensmen keen to photograph the historic trip for posterity.

Earlier, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa flagged off the service from her office in the Secretariat through a videoconferencing facility.

The inaugural run, however, went empty and commuters were allowed to board the train only from the next service. Services on the 10-km Alandur-Koyambedu stretch started after a nearly eight-month delay.

HBL