CNN Central News & Network-ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: The Tamil Nadu government is expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Southern Railway soon for the takeover of Chennai’s Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) by Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL). The process is expected to move forward after the State government issues a government order, with the takeover targeted for completion within the next few months.
Under the proposed arrangement, the Tamil Nadu government will take over the MRTS assets, operations and maintenance from Southern Railway. A subsequent government order is expected to direct CMRL to take charge of the MRTS stations and begin their upgradation. Officials are aiming to complete the initial formalities by December 2026.
The signing of the MoU has been delayed while the two sides work to finalise a severance package covering the value of land and other infrastructure assets to be transferred from Southern Railway. Discussions are underway to determine the final amount payable by the State government.
The Railway Board had earlier given in-principle approval for handing over the MRTS system to the Tamil Nadu government. The draft MoU received Railway Ministry approval in August 2026. Following the agreement, CMRL is required to take over the system within 90 days, while Southern Railway is expected to continue supporting operations during a transition period.
The proposed integration covers the approximately 25-kilometre MRTS corridor with 21 stations. The State government has also proposed an estimated ₹6,600-crore MRTS rejuvenation project aimed at upgrading stations and improving the system’s infrastructure.
The integration is intended to bring MRTS services under the broader Chennai urban transport network and improve coordination between Metro, suburban rail and bus services. The changes are expected to focus on station upgrades, operations and better multimodal connectivity for commuters.
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