Chennai MRTS Extension Nears Completion; Services Likely by January 2026
The long-pending Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) extension from Velachery to St. Thomas Mount is in its final stages and train services are expected to begin before Pongal, January 2026, according to Southern Railway officials.
The Construction Wing of Southern Railway is completing the last phase of work, including overhead electrification, before applying to the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) for project approval. The application is scheduled to be submitted by mid-December 2025.
The final stage of work had been delayed due to girder launching by Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) above the elevated MRTS tracks. Recently, a load deflection test was successfully carried out using a diesel freight locomotive, and track packing and de-stressing have been completed.
The extension has also received an independent structural stability certificate from the CSIR-Structural Engineering Research Centre. The Electrical Inspector-General’s certificate for the energised line is expected by November 30. A speed trial will follow, after which CRS will conduct the mandatory inspection.
The 4.5-km extension, with Puzhithivakkam and Adambakkam stations, has faced nearly two decades of delays due to land acquisition issues and a girder collapse in January 2024. The project, costing ₹734 crore, is jointly funded by Southern Railway and the Tamil Nadu government.
Social activists note that the extension will help transform St. Thomas Mount station into a major transport hub, similar to Guindy.
