Chennai MRTS Velachery–St Thomas mount extension set to open on march 10

The chief commissioner of railway safety (CCRS) carried out a statutory inspection of the long-awaited 4.5km MRTS extension between Velachery and St Thomas Mount. The inspection was aimed at verifying whether the line meets all operational and passenger safety standards before launch.

After years of delays, the MRTS extension connecting Velachery and St Thomas Mount is scheduled to begin operations on March 10. The new stretch is expected to significantly improve rail connectivity in south Chennai and offer commuters easier interchange options.

Officials closely examined bridges, elevated structures, traction systems, signalling networks and interlocking installations along the stretch. The goal was to ensure that the entire rail infrastructure complies with required safety and operational standards.

CCRS Janak Kumar Garg inspected the corridor through a motor trolley run between St Thomas Mount and Velachery. The exercise evaluated the up and down rail lines, checking track structure, ballast profile, gradients, alignment and overall riding quality.

Speed trial runs were conducted on both tracks using a nine-car AC-EMU rake equipped with OMS-2000 track recording systems. The tests assessed oscillation behaviour, braking efficiency, track geometry, signal visibility and overall system coordination.

At St Thomas Mount station, officials examined interchange facilities connecting MRTS, suburban rail and metro services. The integration is expected to strengthen the station’s role as a major multimodal transport hub for commuters in Chennai.

The newly built MRTS stations at Puzhuthivakkam and Adambakkam were also inspected during the safety review. These stations are expected to improve local access to the suburban rail network and provide better public transport options to nearby neighbourhoods.

Originally proposed nearly 20 years ago as part of MRTS Phase-II, the project faced repeated delays due to land acquisition hurdles and coordination challenges between multiple agencies, pushing back its completion timeline several times.