Velachery-St Thomas Mount MRTS line to be energised on Nov 30
A senior railway official said the energisation notice alerts the public that the overhead traction wires (OHE) will be switched on and will carry 25,000 volts of high-tension electricity.
The testing of MRTS elevated structures under way from Velachery to St Thomas Mount
CHENNAI: The Southern Railway (SR) has notified that the long-pending Velachery–St Thomas Mount MRTS section will be energised on November 30, marking a major step towards making the stretch operational after nearly 20 years of delay.
A senior railway official said the energisation notice alerts the public that the overhead traction wires (OHE) will be switched on and will carry 25,000 volts of high-tension electricity.
“This is issued purely for safety, as once energised, the wires become live. Unauthorised persons must keep away from the tracks and structures,” the official said. Energisation is the final milestone before trials and commissioning in any electrified section.
With the OHE set to go live, electric loco and EMU trial runs are expected soon. Commuters have been waiting for the opening of this 5 km extension for several years. The MRTS extension from Velachery to St Thomas Mount was first announced by then CM Karunanidhi during the inauguration of the Chennai Beach–Velachery line.
The project, originally estimated at Rs 495 crore, was revived in 2020 with a revised cost of Rs 730 crore. The stretch includes two stations, Ullagaram and Adambakkam, and was delayed mainly due to the acquisition of a 500-metre stretch of land, which was resolved only a few years ago.
On November 7, CSIR–Structural Engineering Research Centre (CSIR-SERC) carried out instrumentation and load testing on selected spans of the elevated corridor. After energisation, trial runs will be conducted. Once the Commissioner of Railway Safety gives approval, the section will be ready for passenger operations.
The new line is expected to benefit residents of St Thomas Mount, Adambakkam, Pallikaranai and surrounding areas. Officials expect the section to become operational by late December or January.
The SR has also issued an energisation notice for the Tiruthuraipoondi–Pattukottai section (part of the Thiruvarur–Karaikudi line), with electrification work ongoing in the remaining stretch.