Chennai: Beach-Chepauk MRTS services to be partially suspended

CHENNAI: Commuters of MRTS services may have to switch to other modes of transport as railways will partially suspended services from July to December to begin laying the 4.3km fourth line between Beach and Park Town. While services between Beach and Chepauk is likely to be suspended, there is a suggestion that services on the rest of the line between Chepauk and Velachery be operated.
A railway letter says the services are being suspended so that the fourth line work can be commissioned in January 2024. Services cannot be run as construction work, likely to start in July, will come in the way of running of trains near Fort station and at Park Town MRTS station.

MRTS tracks from Beach station run parallel to the other two tracks used by suburban and express trains and become an elevated line after Park Town station and before connecting to Chintadripet and further to Thirumailai and Velachery.
Sources said a stretch of the fourth line may be built bordering Cooum on the southern side of the existing tracks and additional work may be needed to prevent the new line from interfering with the MRTS line.
A railway official said the plan to suspend the services is under discussion and one more meeting will be held to finalise it. "This may change too and the revised schedule will be announced later."
There are plans to operate shuttle bus services or share autos to minimize inconvenience to commuters.
While the 19km Beach-Velachery line has a daily patronage of more than 1 lakh commuters, the new line is crucial as MRTS is going to be handed over to the state government. The fourth line will allow railways to run express and goods trains from north to southern destinations as MRTS tracks from Beach to Fort will be taken over by metro rail.