Chennai’s MRTS merger is expected to bring better lighting, additional security and improved housekeeping to the city’s 20 suburban train stations, with a transfer agreement between the Tamil Nadu government and Southern Railway likely to be signed by the end of November.
The state government is preparing to take over the assets of the Mass Rapid Transit System, which runs between Chennai Beach and St Thomas Mount. A 90-day transition period will begin after the memorandum of understanding is signed, according to a Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority official quoted by the Times of India.
Southern Railway is expected to submit the valuation of more than 133 hectares of land and other assets next week. The transfer will cover stations, tracks, viaducts, signalling and telecommunications systems, as well as overhead electrification. The valuation will then be discussed at the higher level before the state government signs the agreement.
“ The first change we would make is to improve security, lighting and housekeeping,” the CUMTA official said, according to the report.
A separate agreement is being coordinated for the eventual handover of the system to Chennai Metro Rail Ltd. CMRL is expected to deploy staff for security, ticketing, cleaning and housekeeping once the transfer process advances.
The improvements will not take effect across all facilities immediately. Lifts and escalators are expected to be restored progressively, with procurement and installation likely to take about a year. The official said passengers could expect visible results in a year, while station standards comparable to metro facilities could take three years to develop.
Southern Railway will continue to operate and maintain MRTS trains for 24 months after the transition. The arrangement is intended to cover the period required to procure new coaches, a process that could take about two years. Revenue arrangements will continue under the transition terms.
The focus on safety follows concerns at MRTS stations, including the death of 55-year-old V Vijaya. Her body was found in a disused room at Thirumayilai MRTS station four days after she went missing on October 8. Police suspect that she fell through an opening while looking for a toilet, according to the report.
MRTS began operations in 1995 and has long been considered part of Chennai’s wider public transport network. The proposed merger is intended to integrate the system more closely with the city’s transport infrastructure. The proposal was first made in 2011, while the Ministry of Railways approved the MoU between Southern Railway and the Tamil Nadu government in August.
The next formal step is Southern Railway’s submission of the asset valuation, followed by discussions between the relevant authorities and the proposed signing of the transfer agreement by November-end.
