Chennai: South Chennai MP, Thamizhachi Thangapandian, petitioned Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal Tuesday seeking to expedite the 5 km Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) link between Velacheri and St Thomas Mount, which is long-delayed.
As per reports, though Southern Railway (SR) has completed civil and mechanical works up till Adambakkam, the final 500 metre stretch from Nanganallur to St Thomas Mount has been left in the lurch owing to dispute between the landowners and Railway over compensation.
After securing a favourable verdict from the Madras High Court in January, the Railways held negotiations with the landowners in the presence of the State officials.
In her representation, Thamizhachi pointed out that the Velacheri-St Thomas Mount link, work on which was taken up in 2008, has been pending for the past 11 years due to various reasons, including delay in land acquisition.
“Completion of the stretch will bring about vast changes in the prevailing traffic congestion in the city, particularly south Chennai, and ease the plight of the public,” the MP said in her memorandum, urging the Minister to expedite the project. SR officials said that one of the landowners has appealed in the Supreme Court, but added that they would complete the work in about 10 months once the land is handed over.