Chennai Metro to Take Over MRTS by 2027
The Tamil Nadu government will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Railways in December to allow Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) to take over the Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS). The takeover will be completed by December 2027.
At a high-level meeting on Monday, the government gave in-principle approval for CMRL to manage the operation, maintenance, and administration of MRTS. The Comprehensive Mobility Plan for Chennai was also approved and will be rolled out this week, officials said.
The MoU will be finalized after Railways’ concurrence, expected in December. A source said, *“The minutes of the mobility plan meeting have been sent to the government. The next discussion with Railways will happen later this week or early next week.”*
Railways approved the takeover in July 2025, and since then, Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA) has been coordinating with the government, CMRL, and Railways to fast-track the project. Both CUMTA and CMRL are finalizing the detailed project report.
Commuters have long demanded the move. Currently, MRTS was designed for 6.5 lakh passengers daily, but it serves only around 80,000, according to CUMTA.
