CHENNAI: Chennai’s long-pending MRTS takeover is being readied for multilateral funding even as key project assessments have been sent back for revision after a Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority panel sought clarifications.
Balaji Railroad Systems (BARSYL), the consultant for the project, is preparing the environmental and social impact assessments along with a financial feasibility study for the proposed takeover and modernisation of the Beach-St Thomas Mount corridor.
A draft Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Social Impact Assessment (SIA), submitted in February, was returned last month by a technical expert committee, which flagged gaps and sought additional details.
Differences between Indian Railways and the state government over passenger access at Chennai Beach station have delayed finalisation of a memorandum of understanding (MoU).
The proposed MoU to transfer MRTS assets, operations and maintenance from Southern Railway to the state government and Chennai Metro Rail Limited has stalled over the state’s insistence on continued access to platforms 8 and 9 at Chennai Beach, currently used by MRTS services.
Sources familiar with the matter said the committee has sought a more detailed assessment of station-sharing arrangements at Chennai Beach and planning for higher-frequency MRTS operations under state control. It also flagged the absence of key elements such as multimodal integration, transit-oriented development and urban design. The study forms part of a consultancy contract awarded in November 2025 for Rs 19.8 lakh, covering the assessments linked to the proposed takeover.
The panel has called for revisions across core sections, including traffic projections, project history and implementation details. It has asked that ridership forecasts be aligned with CUMTA’s Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) 2023-2048 and that the project narrative reflect current institutional arrangements. It also flagged the need to update references to the Phase II MRTS extension, which commenced on March 14.
Further, the panel clarified that CMRL, not CUMTA, should be identified as the implementing agency for station upgrades and construction, including responsibility for statutory clearances. Operational assumptions have also come under scrutiny.
The authority has asked the consultant to revise the proposed train configuration from four-car to three-car sets, verify rolling stock estimates, and specify existing speed restrictions, including benchmarking against norms set by the Research Designs and Standards Organisation.