MRTS is an initialism for Mass Rapid Transit System usually refering to a particular system of suburban rail network in Chennai with tracks running on a raised platform.

Chennai, India's fourth-largest Urban agglomeration, has a well-established Suburban Railway Network, which dates back to 1931, when Services began on the metre-guage Line from Beach to Tambaram. Two more Suburban Services were begun in 1985 - Chennai Central to Arakkonam and Chennai Central to Gummidipoondi, both of which were broad-guage services.

The Early Stages

In the 1980s, the Government began planning for a new Railway Line inside the City. The Suburban Lines offered no connectivity to Central and South Madras (as Chennai was known then). Planning began in 1985 and construction was started in 1991 . The first phase was much delayed and finally opened in 1997. The Section of the Line ecompassing the first 3 Stations - Beach, Fort and Park Town, is at Grade; after Park Town it begins climbing. All the Stations after Park Town - Chintadripet, Chepauk, Tiruvallikeni, Lighthouse and Thirumaylai are elevated. The Line from Park Town to Thirumaylai follows the course of the Buckingham Canal, which runs parallel to the Coromandel Coast.

Phase Two

The Second phase of the MRTS was meant to connect Thirumaylai to Velachery, a Southern Suburb but currently the Line stops at Thiruvanmiyur. The stretch of Elevated Track between Thiruvanmiyur and Velachery is yet to open due to unstable soil. Southern Railways, the division of Indian Railways which runs the Suburban Railway and the MRTS, has said it hopes to have the problem fixed by the end of 2004. After Thiruvanmiyur, there are two more stations before Velachery, tentatively named Tharamani I and Tharamani II. The second phase was opened on Republic Day, Jan 26th, 2004. At that time, Services between Thirumaylai and Thiruvanmiyur were restricted to one track (due to the absence of a Turnback facility at Thiruvanmiyur) and most of the Stations were also uncompleted. As of now, Services are still restricted to one of the two tracks, though the next Station on the line, Tharamani I, will have a Turnback facility. Most of the Stations however, are nearing completion. The Second Phase runs from Thirumaylai to Thiruvanmiyur via Mandaveli, Greenways Road, Kotturpuram, Kasturba Nagar and Indira Nagar.

General information

Each MRTS Station is designed by a different architect and is built to accommodate a full length EMU (Electric Multiple Unit) Rake, possibly consisting of 9 cars. But currently, only 3-car Rakes are run on the Line, as the traffic on the MRTS Line is considerably less than the 3 Suburban Lines, where 9-car Rakes are run daily. The Frequency of the MRTS is also less than that of the Suburban Lines, though the headway is expected to come down after the Stretch to Velachery is completed. The current length of the MRTS is 16 Km or 10 Miles, from Beach to Thiruvanmiyur. The trains run on the MRTS are 'normal' EMUs, and do not have automatic doors like a Metro Train. This is because the MRTS is considered to be an elevated Extension of the Suburban Network and not a Metro System, as such. However, the MRTS can be considered a Metro, since it is elevated for the majority of its length, and its Services are exclusive, i.e. no other Trains run on the MRTS Line.

Plans for expansion

The extension from Thiruvanmiyur to Velachery is expected to be completed by the end of 2004. Planning has begun for Phase Three, which will connect Velachery to St Thomas Mount, a Station on the Beach - Tambaram Line, effectively creating a changeover point between the two Lines. The planned Route for the MRTS will see it turn North after St Thomas Mount and touch the Suburban Line to Arakkonam at Villivakkam before continuing further North East and eventually going down to Grade, i.e. Surface Level again and merging with the Suburban Line to Gummidipoondi at Tondiarpet. The Project is already behind schedule and the news that the Government is studying plans for a full-fledged Metro System may mean that the MRTS may be delayed further.