Patronage rises on MRTS after service extension to St. Thomas Mount
The Hindu
Patronage on Chennai's MRTS doubles post-extension to St. Thomas Mount, despite complaints about missing amenities at Puzhithivakkam station.
After the extension of Mass Rapid Transit system (MRTS) services from Velachery to St. Thomas Mount, the patronage has doubled over the last few days.
While the MRTS extended section has two railway stations — Puzhuthivakkam and Adambakkam — trains are being stopped only at Puzhuthivakkam as Chief Commissioner of Railway Safety (CCRS) Janak Kumar Garg found deficiencies in the passenger facilities at the Adambakkam station and directed officials not to provide stoppage for trains there until all amenities were fully created. Even at the Puzhuthivakkam railway station passengers have been complaining about the absence of escalators and lifts to reach the elevated platforms.
Chennai railway division officials said since the extended services started on March 14, the patronage had been very good at the Velachery, Puzhuthivakkam, and St. Thomas Mount stations. The footfall at Velachery railway station had increased from 35,000 before March 14 to nearly 70,000 commuters on Monday (March 16, 2026). At the St. Thomas Mount railway station, 49,013 tickets have been sold in both the up and down directions since the start of the service.
Southern Railway is operating 43 pairs of extended electric multiple unit (EMU) services from Chennai Beach to St. Thomas Mount to bolster local connectivity and is also running five pairs of shuttle services — two pairs from Chennai Beach to Velachery and three between Velachery and St. Thomas Mount.
A senior official of Southern Railway said as per the CCRS direction, work for installing two lifts, along with four escalators, at the Puzhuthivakkam station would be carried out by its construction wing soon. At the Adambakkam railway station, the CCRS found infringements in the station’s dimensions, which are being rectified as early as possible, he added.
M. Anand, a regular commuter from Velachery, wanted the reintroduction of MRTS peak hour services at a frequency of 10 minutes.
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Patronage on Chennai's MRTS doubles post-extension to St. Thomas Mount, despite complaints about missing amenities at Puzhithivakkam station.
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