St Thomas Mount-Velachery MRTS extension open, but stations in poor shape

Chennai: After a delay of nearly two decades, the 4.5km MRTS extension from Velachery to St Thomas Mount was commissioned on Saturday, making St Thomas Mount only the second intermodal hub in the city after Chennai Central, linking MRTS, suburban rail and Metro services. However, the first day showed that the new infrastructure is far from ready.Of the three new stations on the stretch—St Thomas Mount, Puzhuthivakkam and Adambakkam—only two are operational. Adambakkam station remains closed as work is still underway. Trains slowed down near St Thomas Mount but sped past Adambakkam without stopping before halting at Puzhuthivakkam.At the two operational stations, several basic amenities were either missing or incomplete. Entry points were strewn with rubbish, floors on concourses and platforms were dirty, toilets were locked or unusable, and ticket counters remained closed. Lifts, escalators and drinking water facilities were also absent.Passengers also struggled to navigate the stations due to poor signage and barely audible announcements."They have clear signage only until you enter MRTS from the Metro and suburban stations. After that, you're left on your own to find the platform," said R Sekar, a resident of Alandur.At Puzhuthivakkam station, the entrance to the nearby residential area was partly blocked by piles of rubbish, with cattle feeding nearby. Escalators and lifts were still being installed, and there were no staff at the ticket counter."They opened it after more than 17 years of delay, and still there are no proper signs or escalators. My knees ache climbing the steep flights of stairs," said R Muthukrishnan, a senior citizen from Puzhuthivakkam.Despite the shortcomings, commuters said the extension will significantly improve connectivity. Those arriving at Perungalathur bus terminus or Tambaram railway station can now travel directly to areas such as Mylapore and Triplicane by switching from suburban rail to MRTS. The link also allows commuters to shift to Metro to reach areas such as Anna Nagar.In a release, Southern Railway said the extension would benefit residents of southern suburbs by providing a direct rail link to the IT corridor in Taramani and Perungudi. "The extended MRTS services will particularly benefit students and working professionals residing in Nanganallur, Madipakkam and Adambakkam," the release said.