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Suburban rail passengers travelling between Chennai's northern and southern areas have requested Southern Railway to increase the frequency of MRTS (Mass Rapid Transit System) trains during peak hours. At present, MRTS trains run once every 20 minutes, but commuters want services every 10 minutes to make travel easier. Passengers from
areas such as Arakkonam, Tiruvallur, Avadi, Korattur, and Villivakkam said the long waiting time has made daily travel difficult, especially for office workers who depend on both suburban trains and MRTS services to reach their destinations
Commuters' Opinions Regarding the Frequency of Chennai Suburban Trains
Many commuters said changing platforms at Chennai Beach station has become stressful because of the long gap between MRTS trains. P.K. Narayanan, a commuter from Korattur travelling to Mount Road, said MRTS trains earlier operated every 10 minutes during busy hours, which made travel smoother.
Rajan Boopathy from Villivakkam said passengers arriving at Chennai Beach by suburban trains usually get down at platforms 4 or 5, but they must walk to platform 8 to catch MRTS trains towards Chepauk and Adyar. He said this is tiring, especially for older passengers, and many people miss the train and have to wait another 20 minutes.
Passengers from southern suburbs like Velachery and Madipakkam also complained about delays and poor last-mile connectivity near MRTS stations. Some commuters said they choose Metro services instead of waiting for MRTS trains.
Railway Officials' Statements
Railway officials explained that ongoing redevelopment work at Chennai Egmore station is affecting MRTS operations. The issue became worse after MRTS services between Chennai Beach and Velachery were partially reduced in August 2023 for the construction of a fourth railway line. Although full services resumed in October 2024, passengers say delays continue.
Officials also said land transfer problems near Chennai Fort and track-sharing arrangements between Fort and Beach stations are slowing train movement. In addition, many elevated MRTS stations can handle only nine-car trains, limiting flexibility.
Southern Railway said the current situation is temporary and linked to the ₹842-crore Chennai Egmore redevelopment project. Officials added that train frequency may improve after the project is completed.