Chennai MRTS ridership climbs as extension opens

Chennai MRTS ridership rose sharply after the St Thomas Mount–Velachery extension opened. The Economic Times reported higher footfall at St Thomas Mount and Velachery. Both stations saw increases between March 14 and March 16.

Chennai MRTS ridership after the March 14 launch

Southern Railway said St Thomas Mount footfall rose. It went from 35,270 on March 14 to 49,013 on March 16. Meanwhile, Velachery increased from 37,993 to 69,247 over the same period. Officials said the rise reflected encouraging public response. The services were commissioned on March 14.

Also, the division is operating 43 pairs of extended EMU services. They run between Chennai Beach and St Thomas Mount. In addition, Southern Railway said five shuttle pairs are running. They cover the Beach–Velachery and Velachery–St Thomas Mount sections. For example, St Thomas Mount and Puzhuthivakkam stations are now operational. Still, Adambakkam MRTS station remains under civil works. It has not yet opened to the public.

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St Thomas Mount intermodal hub and rail connectivity in Chennai

Separately, officials said the extension has significantly improved connectivity to Thiruvanmiyur, Perungudi and Velachery. “Passengers now benefit from seamless rail connectivity, reducing travel time and dependence on road transport, particularly during peak hours,” a release said.

The delayed extension line is now open. At the same time, it has made St Thomas Mount an intermodal hub. It links suburban rail, MRTS and metro networks at a single point. Also, that connection lets commuters switch between train services. This applies to commuters from Mylapore, Triplicane and Anna Nagar. They can then reach transit hubs such as the airport, Perungalathur and Tambaram.

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