Overview

• Chennai Metro Rail Limited has engaged Balaji Railroad Systems to conduct detailed feasibility studies on 170 km Chennai–Villupuram, 140 km Chennai–Vellore and 185 km Coimbatore–Salem corridors.
• The proposed RRTS network is designed to operate at speeds of 160–200 km/h and cut inter-city travel times to 30–60 minutes.
• Tamil Nadu government and Indian Railways are set to formalize a memorandum of understanding within two months to integrate the Mass Rapid Transit System with the Chennai Metro network.
• The Railway Board has granted in-principle approval for the full transfer of MRTS operations to CMRL by July 2027.
• Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority is preparing station-specific detailed project reports to upgrade all 18 MRTS stations and enhance last-mile connectivity.