Name metro station after Rs 5 doctor: Velmurugan

CHENNAI: Panruti MLA T Velmurugan demanded the state government name a metro rail station after Dr Jayachandran, who was instrumental in organising a movement to extend the train services to North Chennai.

Speaking in the debate on the budget, Velmurugan said that there had been a demand to name a metro station in North Chennai after Dr Jayachandran, who is famously known as the “Rs 5 doctor” in the vicinity for his selfless service to poor people.

Dr Jayachandran brought together thousands of people to extend the metro line to North Chennai, he said, adding that even the Chief Minister had issued a statement praising his contribution when he passed away.

“The government should name a metro station after the famous doctor or name scheme in the Rs 1,000 crore North Chennai development project,” he demanded. Dr Jayachandran was the convenor of the North Chennai People’s Right Federation, which played a part in extending the metro rail up to Wimco Nagar. After initially proposing a corridor between Aiport and Tiruvottiyur, the Metro phase I was limited to Airport-Washermenpet. However, public protest resulted in an extension from Washermenpet to Wimco Nagar inaugurated in 2021.