click on the image for a larger version of the photo
chennai MRTS was launched up to velachery last monday 19th of November 2007.
Well I commute to my office by using Chennai MRTS from Villivakkam ->Beach-> Velachery and back home
Things which I want to communicate to the Railway officials.
Most software companies have open office timing and most members come to office by 10.30 AM and leave late in the night back home (say average time of 8:00 PM). The train timings which have been currently offered will not meet the expectation of software professionals, who work in IT park and some more IT offices at velachery.
Connecting trains are a major problem, say Villivakkam has more trains to offer, but to the beach. It is less. Well from beach to velachery is most inconvenient, connecting trains don’t wait if the ones reach little late.
click on the image for a larger and clear version of the photo
above chennai MRTS train timing from velachery to beach station
Why Chennai MRTS amuses me?
- Savings
- Cost factor
- Organized
- Traffic
- Pollution
- Health
Savings – I usually commute by car or motor cycle. On an average I do 45KMS a day home->office->home. If I choose Chennai MRTS from villivakkam to beach and beach to velachery is 9RS (INR) and from velachery to beach and beach to villivakkam it is 8RS(INR) so a total of 17 INR when compared to 1& 1/2 litre of petrol on my bike and whooping 4 litres of petrol for my car say around 200 INR/day. 4000 INR for 20 days
Cost factor – If I buy a season ticket for 3 months it is only 375 INR which is close to 2 days the price of petrol for my car.
Organized – well I don’t want to be late to my office. I have to plan my day. I wake up little early than usually. My company vice president prefers to travel by bus or train or even a cycle (well he could afford to buy the expensive car and have chauffeur at his disposal, well something I am missing) . If he could manage time. I should learn, how to manage my time.
Traffic – Rain or too hot, no more worries staying in the signal. Don’t have to worry any more for the scratch on your new car. Nor have to bite the nails and carry tension. Nor get stranded for long time on signals.
Pollution – What? Unless the train passes over the coovum river or near the Petro chemical refineries
Health conscious – Because I plan my day, I drop my son to school early. Now I do little bit walking, how?
If I have walk to villivakkam station from home and from velachery station to office and back that is about 20 minutes of walking a day. Well a good exercise which I was missing all these days.
Apart from that I have started listing to some podcast or my favorite radio while traveling using my Nokia N70 mobile.
The only worry is that, will I not get more options from the Railways.
Final words: I believe chennai MRTS needs to do some kind of marketing to attract the software professionals, most probably they need to increase the number of trains plying during after peak hours and provide adequate support/connecting train timings at all the main stations (returning to home is a big problem now). Once done, they could possibly see the increase in the traffic in that route.
Do let me know your thoughts and comments, Will MRTS will be of help.
Here is a southern railways site which has the suburban train timing. It has information about the connecting trains time table
Good,Bad & Ugly Chennai 
Vinod,
I was expecting this MRTS till velachery for a long time to commute from pattabiram to velachery.. finally it is operational.. good.. from my school days i see no improvement in railways..(esp from perambur -> vyasarpadi -> basin bridge –>chennai central it takes 15-20 min) nearly for past 15 yrs it is same.. and lot of ppl are getting affected… 🙂
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the mrts definitely has a huge potential, the IR unfortunately doesnt see this nor cares. Its sad that usability and acces to the stations have been tossed out the window. read this interisting hindu article http://tinyurl.com/yry7av
and software professionals are only a small part of chennai, its still a boon to the majority whatever happens 🙂
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You are right on all the plus points of MRTS.
I also agree with you on the necessity to increase the number of trains from villivakkam to Beach.
It is surely a boon for software professionals.
I started taking this train for the past three days and I feel it is defintely better than the road transport.
🙂
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Hello Sir! I am impressed by you and your positive attitude. You have listed all the plus points of using the MRTS – less pollution, exercise, listening to the podcast, cheaper. I wish there were more people like you!
Best wishes and regards.
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whether any one knows where Puzhuthivakkam MRTS Railway Station is to be located.
as per original plan the platform length is 300 Mtrs – it is expected to be at 1500 mtrs. from Velachery and platform ends at 1800 mtrs. width of Rly station is expected to be 50Mtrs. at both sides (both together 100 Mtrs.)
is there any change in the plan – can any one inform us
many residents (own houses at approved Lay out ) are worried about likely demolition due to MRTS Rly. Station)
can any own help us to get latest and correct informations.
Puzhuthivakkam residents are restless (once they were eager – now they are worried lot)
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Dear Friends,
If any Fast Train Operated From Tiruninravur to Velachery Will be more Conveneent for the Software Professionals and Govt Working Peoples are Private Working Peoples from in and aroud Tiruninravur
Trains can Stop at Tiruninravur, Avadi, Villivakkam, Perambur, Washermanpet, Royapuram and all stations from Beach to Velachery in the Peak Hours from Tiruninravur between 7.30-8.30 a.m and from Velachery 8.15-8.45 pm.
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Hi,
Its good approach to improve the transport and traffic facilely, I appreciate it.
However I saw train start at 6:05 AM from beach and 6:50 AM from Velachery.
What if people want to reach office or some else around 6:00 AM or before?
DONT WE NEED EARLY MORNING AND LATE NIGHT TRAIN FACILITY?
Is that Chennai is so insecure to provide this service?
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Very much required blog page of Chennai MRTS. I appreciate Vinod vv for the initiative.
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I am daily user of MRTS service since January 2009. I have been noticing that on many days the lifts in the MRTS Railway stations do not work. This causes lot of inconvenienc and problems to all the commuters. When questioned the staff in the station say either due to low voltage or due to no power, lift is not working. This is shocking. If MRTS is not getting power, then who else is getting it on priority basis. The Railway should get power on priority basis along with hospitals.
I request MRTS officials to look into the matter urgently. Just to give an exact idea, the lifts were not working in Taramani station on Feb 14 morning, Feb 16 morning and Feb 19 morning. In Chintathiripet station, the lifts were not working on Feb 14 afternoon and Feb 19th morning.
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When compared to road transport, MRTS is the best option to choose.
It is a boon for IT ppl in and around Tidel.
But for those who come from a long distance, say villivakkam or siding , it is somewhat uncomfortable.
Only less number of connection trains available from Beach. After a tiring day from office, one has to walk from park town to central to reach their places.
If connection trains are available at Beach at a regular interval say every 15 or 20 mts,it will be very useful for the ppl. goin late.
Also after 7, trains towards beach are very less. This should also be increased atleast till 9.
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Ya Vinod, letz send a proposal to Southern Railway for increased number of connection trains from Beach.
I can ask two or three of my colleagues to contribute in this.
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egmore elevator
elevator
egmore elevator
Old people and new visitors are suffering while using the elevator in platform 4 of Chennai Egmore Railway station. Most of them are catching the eversilver top on the paraphet wall of the elevator (which is stationary) and fall back in the steps. Neighbours will have to catch them or cry “catch the rubber handle which is moving”. But these people as they are already nervous don’t hear the cries and fall in the steps upside down. A moving rubber handle which will cover the paraphet wall top fully will be a safer one.
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finally link [MRTS + IRR] between Velachery to St.Thomas Mount is taking shape. Almost Inner Ring Road formation from Velachery to Madavakkam High Road has been carried-out excellently. By June 2010 Bridge at Nanganallur lake will be ready. This will facilate a best link from Velachery to GST Road [via] ThilayGangaNagar sub-way. If Taramani link road is completed there will be an excellent connection from OMR to Avadi/Ambattur & Tambaram enroute Velachery-Puzhuthivakkam-Nanganallur – TGNagar sub-way to GST Road/Kathipara Junction.
Similary MRTS/MTS/S.Rly have opened Tender for Railayway station at Puzhuthivakkam & Adambakkam [est. value about Rs.31.00 crores approx]. The Tender has been opened on March 8th 2010 and by all probabilities Contract will be issued by 31st March 2010 and Station will be ready by end of [december] 2010 or middle of 2011 and MRTS train service will be operated by March 2012 as per Railway Budget 2010.
Puzhuthivakkam MRTS Station will be located between piers 64 to 77 [Land mark — opposite to Vyasa Vidyalaya] and Adambakkm MRTS station is planned between piers [pillars] 112 to 125 [land mark on the bank of Medavakkam High Road.
Road / MRTS Rail link will greatly help to reduce travel time for IT employees, State Government Secretariat employees, Avadi Ambattur / Guindy Industrial employees in particular and all public in general.
Heartfel thanks to State/Central Government authorities for this excellent plan and implemetation
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Hi,
There is a project planned by jeayam construction on the Balaji nagar extension, Adambakkam. do anybody knows about this project and whether the MRTS puzhithivakkam station is planned in this area?
Thanks
Siva
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Hi,
I have a folding cycle, (BSA foldman) which I bought for daily travel between Velechery Taramani,
It’s weight is less than 18 KG.
This should have been encouraged, but TC asking to book it for 50 rupees and get into train.
Is there provision to book it for a month like our season ticket ?
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hi
answer to mr. siva — please contact balaji nagar welfare housing society – who may be having more details
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hi swamintahtan, may i know the welfatre society no pls. I am in US and plannign to buy a land in puzhuthivakkam.
i hear that there is a water problem in puzhuthivakkam . is the problem resolved or it still prevails….
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