Chennai: Ahead of the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) inspection scheduled on March 5, the electrical department of Southern Railway carried out an inspection and trial runs on the Mount-Velachery suburban corridor on March 3.Southern Railway principal chief electrical engineer Ganesh inspected the stretch between the Velachery and St Thomas Mount railway stations on Tuesday. Officials said all electrical installations, including overhead equipment, traction substations and power supply systems, were tested to ensure safety, reliability and efficiency ahead of the statutory inspection.The mass rapid transit system (MRTS) extension that will connect Velachery and St Thomas Mount, improving last-mile rail connectivity in the city, will be inaugurated on March 10. The corridor includes new stations at Puzhuthivakkam, Adambakkam and St Thomas Mount.On March 5, chief commissioner of railway safety Janak Kumar Garg will conduct the statutory inspection of the up and down lines between Velachery and St Thomas Mount in the Chennai division. As part of the inspection, a high-speed trial run will be conducted between 1.30pm and 6pm.During the CRS inspection, officials will examine track geometry, bridges, signalling systems, overhead electrification, level crossings and passenger amenities. Technical documents, completion plans, inspection registers, weld testing records and safety certificates from various departments will also be verified. A speed trial will be conducted at 10 % above the proposed operating speed to assess track stability and safety.
