What is the progress of MRTS in Chennai?

Question

Any possiblity for Metro rail systems

Answer 1

The proposed metro railway project for the city is on the fast track with the State Government moving the Centre for clearances.

There will be two routes. The first railway corridor from Toll Gate to Kamaraj Airport will cover 27.3 km. There will be 22 stations. The second corridor from Fort Station to Guindy will consist of 18 stations along the 21.8 km stretch. The work is expected to start from January 2008 and get over within five-and-a-half years.

Answer 2

MRTS is now been operational from Beach till Tiruvanmiyur and its gonna be extended till Velachery. And from there it will be connected to the St.Thomas mount Suburban Railway Station.
Regarding Metro Rail the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has submitted a detailed report to the government regarding implementing Metro Rail in Chennai. Work will Commence soon according to reports..

Answer 3

MRTS is an initialism for Mass Rapid Transit System usually referring 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-gauge 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-gauge services. See List of Chennai MRTS stations for a list of MTRS stations in Chennai

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 encompassing the first three 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

Inside the Thirumayilai MRTS stationThe 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 Railway, the division of Indian Railways which runs the Suburban Railway and the MRTS has said that it will be opened early 2007 (Minister of State for Railways, Thiru. Velu said that it will be a Pongal gift for Chennai). 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 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 was expected to be completed by the end of 2004, but the Velachery station is still under construction (Announced to be open by early 2007). 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.

Answer 4

MRTS is an initialism for Mass Rapid Transit System usually referring 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-gauge 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-gauge services. See List of Chennai MRTS stations for a list of MTRS stations in Chennai.

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 encompassing the first three 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.

[edit] Phase two
Inside the Thirumayilai MRTS station
Inside the Thirumayilai MRTS station

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 Railway, the division of Indian Railways which runs the Suburban Railway and the MRTS has said that it will be opened early 2007 (Minister of State for Railways, Thiru. Velu said that it will be a Pongal gift for Chennai). 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.

[edit] 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 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 was expected to be completed by the end of 2004, but the Velachery station is still under construction (Announced to be open by early 2007). 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.

Answer 5

THE SOUTHERN Railway has been trying to woo Chennaites into using the Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS), though without much success. A majority of the travelling public in Chennai still prefers the crowded public transport buses to the new railway system, much of which is on an elevated structure.

The MRTS was supposed to be the answer to Chennai's public transportation problems, what with the exponential growth in the city's population and the congestion on the roads.

However, that has not happened. Some feel the MRTS is only a tourist attraction and a nice way to get an aerial view of the city. The train service currently is not ideal for daily travel because of the fare, which is 50 per cent more than the bus fare. The frequency of trains too is lower compared to the bus service.

The MRTS was conceived after a study by the Madras Area Transport Study Unit (MATSU), which identified eight important transport corridors, of which the 39-km north-south-east corridor along the Buckingham Canal was shortlisted.

The first phase of the Rs. 269-crore MRTS project was fully funded by the Railways, and the entire land, including private land, was given free of cost and free of encumbrances, by the Tamil Nadu Government.

In the first phase, started over a decade ago, the Beach Station (in north Chennai) was connected to Chepauk (in Central Chennai); this section was opened in November 1995. However, this stretch of the MRTS did not attract many passengers and most trains ran empty. The service was then extended to Thirumailai in October 1997, after which too the system has not got the anticipated patronage. The Southern Railway even extended a few services to far away places such as Gummudipoondi, at the other end, all to no avail. The reasons attributed for the poor response were high commuting cost and the short distance, 8.97 km, which did not cover the areas where there was high commuter traffic.

And, for the slum-dwellers along the track, the MRTS stations provide ideal shelter. Of course, the Railways is trying to make commercial use of the stations by letting out space for shops. Some MRTS stations also house general ticket booking counters. The authorities have also been trying to ensure inter-modal transfer of passengers by providing bus bays in the station compound.

According to Mr. R. Ramanathan, Chief Engineer, Metropolitan Transport Project (Railways), the MRTS has the capacity to ferry some six lakh commuters daily. However, the service has been attracting only around 25,000 passengers per day, that too only during peak hours. He points out that even people living near the MRTS railway stations prefer the buses.

However, the Southern Railway hopes things will be different once the second phase of the project -- from Tirumailai to Velacheri -- is completed. The nearly Rs. 715-crore second phase will have 7.8 km on an elevated level and 3.13 km on the surface. The project commenced in March 1998 and is expected to be completed by March 2002.

The encroachments were evicted recently, and over 95 per cent of the foundation and structural works for the entire elevated portion have been completed. Contracts for the superstructure for the entire elevated portion, consisting of 702 PSC box girders and 16 PSC I girders, have also been finalised.

Two road under-bridges, one road over-bridge (six lane) and four minor bridges, for water flow, are to be constructed in the surface portion of the alignment. Provision has also been made for an EMU maintenance depot at Velacheri.

For the second phase of the project, a third of the cost is being borne by the Railways and the remaining by the State Government. Once Velacheri is connected with Beach Station, Mr. Ramanathan feels the traffic will be far better in the stretch as all the stations in between will easily feed over six lakh commuters a day, the number originally anticipated by the Railways. Traffic will improve significantly, and the Railways will be forced to increase the train length.

In addition, since the State Government is also actively involved in the second phase of project, unlike in first phase where its role was only to provide land, it will see to it that there is a balance between road and rail traffic.

Mr. Ramanathan indicates that all the nine railway stations between Thirumailai and Velacheri will have spacious parking space. This is to attract two- and four-wheeler owners who can park their vehicles and use the MRTS, as is done in Mumbai, to avoid the city traffic. In addition, two major bus terminals, Thirumailai and Tiruvanmiyur, are being planned, which will act as interchanges. Commercial complexes are also being planned and are likely to be constructed above the railways stations, to generate revenues, Mr. Ramanathan says.

The first phase led to an operational loss because of poor traffic. However, this will be offset, once the service is extended till Velacheri. The areas in and around Velacheri are densely populated, and people will slowly switch over to the MRTS, once they find the service much better than travelling by bus, it is felt.

The total length of entire MRTS envisaged was 59.38 km, a circular route from Chennai Beach to Ennore/Tiruvottiyur (industrial zones north of Chennai). Out of this 8.96 km from Chennai Beach to Tirumailai has been commissioned, and work is in progress for the 11.16 km from Tirumailai to Velacheri.

The third phase of the project, a 5-km stretch from Velacheri to St. Thomas Mount is proposed to be taken up. This will be critical for the MRTS project, as it will connect the MRTS to the Chennai Beach-Tambaram metre gauge (MG) suburban system (sanctioned for conversion as broad gauge).

The Tamil Nadu Government has agreed to bear two-thirds of the cost of extending the MRTS to St. Thomas Mount.

RITES, which did the feasibility study on behalf of the State Government, had presented its initial proposal to Metropolitan Transport Project (Railways), and the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority in February.

A final report is likely to be submitted shortly. Based on the report, a proposal will be put to the Railway Board for clearance, Mr. Ramanathan adds.

http://www.hindu.com/businessline/2000/05/29/stories/092971rs.htm

Answer 6

May be in near future

Answer 7

good progresssss..