News Brief
Chennai’s MRTS–Metro Merger Stalled As Railways Yet To Clear Long-Pending Integration Plan: Report
A Chennai MRTS station. (Wikipedia)
The long-awaited merger of Chennai’s Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) with the city’s metro rail network reportedly remains stalled, as the Indian Railways Board has yet to grant in-principle approval, The New Indian Express reported, citing senior officials from the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA).
“The ball is in the court of Indian Railways,” a senior CUMTA official was quoted as saying by TNIE.
Officials had hoped for a final decision by early 2025 as the state government has completed all preparatory work for the acquisition.
The merger proposal had seen renewed momentum after a key meeting in May 2022, chaired by then Chief Secretary Irai Anbu, where Southern Railway had indicated initial support.
The plan, originally floated in 2018, had been delayed due to land acquisition hurdles for a critical link between Beach and Park stations.
The MRTS currently operates along a 15 km elevated corridor, running through the city’s core business zones and into the IT belt along the eastern coastline.
Once considered a vital urban transport spine, the system has suffered from underuse, lack of maintenance, and financial inefficiency.
CUMTA reportedly posted a deficit of Rs 84.1 crore before the merger talks, driven by low fare revenue and high operating costs, including over Rs 101 crore spent annually on operations, maintenance, and staffing, TNIE reported.
Revenues from ticket sales reportedly stood at just Rs 18 crore.
The proposed Phase-II extension will add three stations and roughly 5 km to the network, enhancing integration with the Chennai Metro and suburban rail systems.
As part of the merger, the state plans to acquire 150 EMU coaches at a depreciated cost of Rs 140 crore.
An interim dry lease model is also under consideration, allowing the state to operate MRTS while Indian Railways retains rolling stock ownership, potentially smoothing the transition ahead of the deployment of new AC coaches.
