Train services on the Velachery–St Thomas Mount MRTS section began on Saturday, 15 March 2026, ending an 18-year wait for the project. The 4.5 km elevated extension adds connectivity for Madipakkam, Puzhuthivakkam, Thillai Ganga Nagar and nearby areas, and links the southwestern suburbs to central Chennai—Mylapore, Triplicane, Chepauk, RA Puram, Adyar, and Thiruvanmiyur. Passengers from Chengalpattu, Maraimalai Nagar, Guduvanchery, and Tambaram can now reach South Chennai destinations by changing trains at St Thomas Mount.
What opened
- Section: Velachery to St Thomas Mount (4.5 km elevated).
- New stations: Puzhuthivakkam and Adambakkam (minor works at Adambakkam may add stoppages in a few days).
- Operations: Southern Railway extended 43 pairs of trains from Velachery to St Thomas Mount; additional pairs on the new section. Speed restrictions apply: 15 kmph at curves and at transitions to the elevated corridor.
On the first day, hundreds of passengers used the service. Some teething issues were reported: the two MRTS platforms at St Thomas Mount are not yet connected by a foot overbridge, and trains from Chennai Beach to St Thomas Mount saw delays of about 15–20 minutes due to single-line working between Fort and Beach.
Work on the extension had begun in 2008; delays were due to land acquisition litigation, construction hurdles, and alignment with Metro Phase II.
OMR and the new line
The new MRTS stretch directly serves Velachery assembly constituency (AC 26)—areas such as Adambakkam and Puzhuthivakkam—and improves access for commuters in the OMR corridor. With the April 2026 assembly election around the corner, here is a quick snapshot of OMR-relevant constituencies and the race so far.
OMR assembly constituencies at a glance
Chennai South Lok Sabha segment includes two key OMR constituencies; a third lies further south in Chengalpattu:
- Velachery (AC 26): Velachery, Perungudi, Taramani, Adambakkam—now better connected by the new MRTS.
- Sholinganallur (AC 27): Main OMR IT corridor—Sholinganallur, Thoraipakkam, Perumbakkam, Navalur, Karapakkam, Kandanchavadi, Okkiyam Thuraipakkam (279 polling stations in 2021).
- Thiruporur: Chengalpattu district—Thiruporur, Kelambakkam and vicinity.
2021 results (OMR-relevant)
- Sholinganallur: S. Aravind Ramesh (DMK) won with 1,68,361 votes; K.P. Kandhan (AIADMK) 1,33,600; margin 34,761.
- Velachery: J.M.H. Aassan Maulaana (INC), DMK ally, is the sitting MLA.
- Thiruporur: S.S. Balaji (VCK) 92,987 votes; Arumugam (PMK) 91,388; margin 1,599.
DMK swept Chennai in 2021.
Who has announced candidates?
As of March 2026, Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) is the only party to have announced a full list of 234 candidates (21 February 2026). Party chief Seeman will contest from Karaikudi. The list has 117 men and 117 women; NTK is contesting alone. In 2021, NTK got about 8.2% vote share but no seats. DMK and AIADMK are yet to announce their full candidate lists for Chennai and OMR seats.
Likely candidates for OMR seats
DMK has been conducting constituency-level surveys. Incumbents such as S. Aravind Ramesh (Sholinganallur) may re-contest. J.M.H. Aassan Maulaana (Velachery) could be in the fray again on the Congress ticket as part of the DMK-led alliance. AIADMK and others are expected to name Chennai and OMR candidates in the coming weeks. Declared candidates will be updated on Elections 2026 – Candidates as parties announce.
Useful links
Know your constituency · Velachery (AC 26) · Sholinganallur (AC 27) · Thiruporur. For poll dates and OMR analysis, see Tamil Nadu Assembly Election 2026: Poll Dates, OMR Constituencies & Key Facts.
