Steered by a young woman, the first train of the Chennai Metro Rail chugged off from Alandur Station on Monday after being flagged off via live video from the State Secretariat by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.

The first train which left at 12.15 PM from Alandur to Koyambedu was driven by A Preethi, a 28 year old diploma holder in engineering from Government Dharmambal Polytechnic College in Chennai. She was trained for a year and half like others in Chennai and in Delhi for the purpose.

"I am excited, my daughter's dream of becoming a loco pilot of Metro Rail has come true," Preethi's father R Anbu told PTI. He explained how his daughter was chasing her dream of becoming a loco pilot after the metro rail project began taking shape.

"She quit her first job, applied for a job in Chennai Metro rail, and she was the first woman to get selected. Three other women joined as pilots after her and I am happy that she was successful," he said with joy.

Meanwhile, the sprawling and swanky Alandur metro station, the biggest in Chennai, was brimming with activity, with enthusiastic passengers eager to board the first train. "I wanted to board the first metro train, I hope metro makes travel easier and a pleasure," said K Ramesh a young executive.