Chennai, Feb. 13 -- Announcing that the Porur-Poonamallee stretch under Phase-2 of the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) Project would become operational by this year end, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Thursday reiterated his demand to the Centre to accord sanction for the Coimbatore (Kovai) and Madurai Metro Rail projects.

In a statement after inspecting the ongoing works, Mr Stalin said his government took the lead in implementing the Phase-2 of the CMRL making Tamil Nadu the first State to continue metro expansion through its own funding.

The works were rapidly advancing under the ruling DMK's Dravidian Model regime, he added.

Stating that the works were further expedited with the recently approved Centre's contributio...