CHENNAI (Metro Rail News): The Railway Board has approved the long-awaited merger of Chennai’s Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) with Chennai Metro Rail Ltd (CMRL). This change will merge the suburban rail corridor under a single state-led framework, with plans to transfer operations over two years.
The approval comes after years of talks between the Indian Railways and the Tamil Nadu government. A draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been prepared to outline the transfer of assets, infrastructure, and responsibilities.
Railway board approves long-pending proposal
The merger proposal began in January 2011, when the Tamil Nadu government first approached the Railway Board to transfer MRTS operations. The Railway Board issued its latest update on August 12, 2026, approving the draft MoU signed by Southern Railway and the Tamil Nadu government in May.
The weekly brief metro & rail professionals read.
The agreement will set the framework for transferring MRTS assets and will gradually shift its operation and maintenance duties to CMRL.
Two year transition planned
The transition is going to happen in 2 stages instead of all at once. Under the draft MoU:
- Southern Railway will transfer MRTS assets along with general operation and maintenance responsibilities within 90 days. But it will exclude core train operations and maintenance.
- Over two years, train operations and the remaining maintenance responsibilities will gradually move to CMRL.
- During the transition, Tamil Nadu will make the agreed payment for the assets, either in full or in installments.
The proposed assets for transfer include land, stations, and other infrastructure covering 19 of the 21 MRTS stations, along with:
- Tracks
- Signalling and telecom systems
- Lifts and escalators
- Foot overbridges
- Other station infrastructure
- EMU rolling stock
The MRTS project originated from the 1975 First Master Plan for Chennai. Passenger services originally ran between Chennai Beach and Velachery. The corridor was later extended to St Thomas Mount, with this extension commissioned in March 2026. The extended section includes stations at Puzhithivakkam and Adambakkam, although one station is still not operational yet.
Beach-Fort section needs special arrangements
The merger requires coordination between MRTS and Chennai Division railway stations. At Chennai Beach, platforms 9 and 10 have been proposed for MRTS services. At Fort station, the state government will build a crossing arrangement to enable track connectivity. A separate operational issue exists between Fort and Beach, where MRTS currently has only one track instead of the standard two-track setup. If the state government suggests doubling this section, Southern Railway will review the proposal based on operational needs and the Railways’ land management policy.
Special committee to oversee transition
The Railway Board has formed a committee made up of senior officials from Southern Railway and the Tamil Nadu government to oversee the merger process. The Convenor of the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA) will coordinate the committee’s work. The committee will handle the operational, infrastructure, and administrative issues involved in the transfer.
The merger could create a more integrated management structure for MRTS and Chennai Metro. This could help improve maintenance, passenger facilities and future planning across Chennai’s Urban Rail Network. But the changes might also impact existing operational arrangements. Consumer activities T. Sadagopan mentioned that while the merger could enhance MRTS operations, it might also eliminate the chance of restoring direct MRTS service from St Thomas Mount to Arakkonam and Gummidipoondi. Before that, these direct services connected Velachery with destinations on Chennai’s western and northern suburban railway sections through Beach.
The Railway Board’s approval clears a significant administrative barrier in the 15-year-old merger proposal. The immediate focus will now shift to the two-year transition, asset transfer, and integration of MRTS operations with Chennai Metro.
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