<P> In 1998, further to the Chengleput--Villupuram--Tiruchirapalli gauge conversion project, the railway decided to convert one of the MG lines in the section between Tambaram and Chengleput . However, the decision was soon changed due to large - scale protests by suburban commuters . This resulted in the conversion of the' down' MG line (the easternmost line out of Tambaram) to BG, in addition to laying of a new parallel MG line . Within a year, work on the new BG was completed . By late 1999, there were two MG lines and one BG line between Tambaram and Chengleput, and the new BG line was electrified by late 2000 . The conversion of the mainline MG line between Egmore and Tambaram began in 2000, resulting in Tambaram station temporarily acting as terminal point for mainline express and passenger trains originally originating from and terminating at Egmore . This resulted in increase in traffic at Tambaram station, where two additional MG lines were built . In March 2001, the gauge conversion project in the Madras--Madurai section was completed and BG passenger services began, and the Beach--Tambaram section featured two MG and two BG lines . In December 2001, electrification work of the Chengleput--Villupuram BG line commenced . Gauge conversion work of two MG lines between Beach and Egmore began in December 2002 and was completed by February 2003 . This resulted in increased BG EMU services between Beach and Tambaram and the MG services from Tambaram terminating at Egmore . The spur MG lines in the Beach--Washermanpet section were dismantled . </P> <P> In February 2003, one of the MG lines between Tambaram and Chengalpet was taken up for conversion and was completed in December 2003, which was used for BG EMU services and by mainline express trains . This resulted in 2 BG lines and 1 MG line in the Tambaram--Chengleput section by the end of 2003 . The last MG EMU services between the 30 km Egmore--Tambaram section were run on 1 July 2004, marking the end of the regular service of the YAM - 1 locomotives, and the gauge conversion work in this section began . All MG mainline trains were switched over to diesel traction . </P> <P> On 1 November 2004, with the completion of the gauge - conversion work in this section, BG EMU services were inaugurated with the addition of 15 new rakes from ICF . </P> <P> Fundamentally Chennai has 4 suburban railway lines, namely North line, West line, South line and MRTS line . The South West line, West North line and West South line are merely minor extensions or modifications of the aforementioned suburban lines . The MRTS is a suburban railway line that chiefly runs on an elevated track exclusively used for running local EMUs or suburban local trains . No express trains or passenger trains run on MRTS line . </P>

Local train route from chennai park to tambaram