The Mass Rapid Transit System of Chennai! Rapid it is... But how much mass does it attract? This comfort mode of transportation seems to offer comfort only during the journey. The so called 'Parakum Rail' of Chennai , even after extending the lines from Chennai Beach station to Velachery is still considered a journey of amusement and very few people use it as a regular mode of transportation.

The compartments are not jam packed even during the peak hours and only a few stations you see people getting in large numbers. In spite of the fact that the fare is reasonable and the stations connects various access points of the city which are mostly connected only through road ways MRTS still is a fancified mode of commutation.

The ticket to Beach from Velachery was just Rs.7.and the the travel had taken only about 40 minutes... Call it the remoteness of the station or the vast UN kept ambience of the stations, public less prefer this comfort mode of transportation.

The ride was wholly pleasing except for one thing...this lacks that emblematic experience which a suburban train offers.. The stations are too close together, compared to the main line But main line bears no significance for the comfort and convenience this offers...MRTS is definitely a welcome relief to the chain of Velachery, Thiruvanmyur and Adyar residential hub.

One can opt for the MRTS, to get away from the narrow and potholed roads of Chennai. The hitch to the lack of crowds is that it makes commuting on the MRTS in the late evenings faintly perilous for women. Complaints about the lack of ease of access to stations, poorly maintained environment and the need for integrating with other forms of transport - are often heard and will have to be addressed by the authorities to lure public. All such novel efforts by the government should not go unnoticed.

SOWJANYA.S