Chennai Metro’s MRTS Takeover Nears Final Green Light from Railway Board

The long-awaited proposal to transfer Chennai 2019’s Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) to Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) is on the verge of final clearance from the Railway Board, with it currently before the desk of the Railway Chairman for clearance before it goes to the Union Minister of Railways.

Sources report that all Railway Board departments have given a nod, with an announcement along those lines being made shortly. If the proposal is to be cleared, the Tamil Nadu government will be formally told, kickstarting one of the biggest changes in urban transport management in Chennai.

This transfer proposal, which had been pending for over a year, gained traction in June this year after CM M.K. Stalin submitted a memorandum during the NITI Aayog meeting, urging PM Narendra Modi to fast-track the handover. Reportedly, the PMO directed the Railway Board to hasten the entire process. The Southern Railway received a flurry of queries that were answered within a short time, thus clearing the way for the file to be pushed for immediate clearance.

Once the takeover is approved, CMRL is obligated to develop an all-encompassing transition plan defining how it will operate and maintain the MRTS stations, trains, and systems. Officials expect the actual transfer to take several months and would be implemented progressively.

Transport advocates and passengers have welcomed the possible transition, viewing a positive outcome for service and safety. “We’ve been waiting years for this,” said T. Sadagopan, a regular MRTS commuter and public transport activist. “CMRL has far better standards in terms of maintenance and accessibility to the stations. Hence, it must ensure that the ticket fares are affordable for the lakhs of people who use MRTS every day.”

The MRTS that currently runs from Chennai Beach to Velachery under Southern Railway has also been the subject of criticism for its inadequate maintenance and underutilization of the existing infrastructure. Under CMRL, the MRTS is expected to be well integrated into a metro network within the city, thus providing better and easier access for commuting.