The proposal of Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) taking over Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) has been sent to the Railway Board for its in-principle approval.
Though the plan was mooted more than a decade ago, it has reached the final stage only now.
An official of Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA) said, “We sent the proposal sometime ago. The land management directorate has sent it to the Finance department with positive recommendations. They have raised a few queries about the cost break-up to the Southern Railway. We expect the Southern Railway authorities to respond to the queries in about 2-3 weeks. After that, we have to just wait for the in-principle approval of the Board. We expect that they will give their decision by July.”
In the plan that has been drawn up, the railway authorities will be operating the train services during the initial period, while the CMRL will focus and look at ways of developing the stations and enhancing the facilities, he said.
“When the in-principle approval comes from the board, the Memorandum of Understanding will be signed to set in motion the process of the takeover. A special purpose vehicle will be formed by the CMRL subsequently to manage and operate the MRTS,” he said.
After the MoU is signed, tenders will be floated for commercial development of stations and this process could go on for more than a year, the official said. “The only thing that remains to be finalised is whether the trains will be entirely air-conditioned or will each train have a few air-conditioned coaches. The discussion is still under way between CUMTA and CMRL in this regard. But after the coaches are ordered, it may take about one-and-a-half years for them to arrive,” he said.
