CHENNAI: The crucial safety inspection by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) for the five-kilometre Velachery-St Thomas Mount MRTS section was completed on Friday. The track is likely to be cleared for operations with restricted speed in a day or two and is expected to be opened for traffic from March 10, as planned by Southern Railway, according to official sources.
Janak Kumar Garg, Chief Commissioner of Railway Safety (CCRS), New Delhi, conducted the statutory inspection in accordance with the provisions of the Railways Act, 1989. As part of the inspection, a motor trolley examination was carried out from St Thomas Mount to Velachery to assess the track in both directions.
The inspection covered the track structure, ballast profile, alignment, gradients and riding quality, along with bridges, elevated structures, traction installations, signalling and interlocking systems, and other safety-related infrastructure to verify compliance with prescribed safety standards, said an official statement.
Subsequently, speed trial runs were conducted on both lines using a nine-car local train fitted with OMS-2000 track-recording equipment. The trials were undertaken to evaluate oscillation characteristics, braking performance, track geometry, signal visibility and system synchronisation under operational conditions.
The newly constructed MRTS stations at Puzhuthivakkam and Adambakkam were also inspected with regard to structural integrity, passenger circulation and accessibility features.
At St Thomas Mount railway station, the CCRS inspected the interchange arrangements integrating MRTS, suburban railway services and Chennai metro rail, strengthening the station’s role as an important multi-modal transport hub in the city.
During the inspection, Shailendra Singh, divisional railway manager of the Chennai Division, and other officials were present.