Railway Ministry Approves MRTS Merger with CMRL on Velachery Route

The Union Ministry of Railways has formally approved the proposal to merge the Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) with Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL), paving the way for the handover of the transit network running through Velachery. The decision follows a draft memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the Southern Railway and the Tamil Nadu government.

According to a circular issued by the Railway Board in New Delhi to the General Manager of Southern Railway on August 12, 2026, the draft agreement details the transfer of assets as well as the future operation and maintenance of the suburban train network. The merger proposal was originally submitted by the State government to the Railway Board in January 2011.

Under the terms of the draft MoU, Southern Railway will hand over assets and general operations and maintenance within 90 days, excluding core train operations. Over a two-year transition period, complete train operations will be transitioned to CMRL. During this time, the State government will pay the agreed sum either in full or through partial instalments.

The transfer encompasses railway land, rolling stock of electrical multiple units (EMUs), and station infrastructure covering 19 of the 21 stations on the network. The handover includes tracks, signalling systems, telecommunication networks, lifts, escalators, and foot overbridges.

The MRTS project, originally initiated under the First Master Plan of 1975, initially ran services between Chennai Beach and Velachery before being extended to St. Thomas Mount, which was commissioned in March 2026. The extended stretch includes stations at Puzhithivakkam and Adambakkam, with one station yet to become operational.

The agreement also addresses key operational interfaces with the Chennai division at Beach and Fort railway stations. Two platforms, 9 and 10, will be allocated for MRTS services at Chennai Beach. At Fort station, the State government is slated to build a crossing station to enable track crossovers. Southern Railway will also consider proposals for a dual track between Fort and Beach, where only a single track currently exists, subject to operational feasibility and railway land management policies.

To oversee the implementation, the Railway Board has constituted a special committee comprising senior officials from Southern Railway and the State government, coordinated by the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority convenor.

Reacting to the development, consumer activist T. Sadagopan stated that the merger would enhance operational efficiency. However, he noted that the integration would formally end long-standing demands for direct services from St. Thomas Mount and Velachery to suburban destinations such as Arakkonam and Gummidipoondi.