low ridership, the MRTS has been working incrementally to change its image to Chennai's residents, by addressing and ameliorating the current conditions. Lack of integration with other modes of transport Some stations lack proper and safe approach roads, thus deterring passengers from reaching the stations. A study jointly conducted by Southern Railways and CMDA is currently in progress, and the survey results would help to identify the infrastructure problems that hinder ridership on MRTS and Mono Rail on the need to provide infrastructure like ramps, skywalks, nearby bus stops and pedestrians walkways. Access to the Chennai MRTS remains a crucial issue to the line's success, as it does not fully integrate with other modes of transportation in the city,. Special focus would be on pedestrian facilities that would provide access to MRTS stations from nearby roads and bus stops, apart from identifying new feeder routes for the network. With the completion of connectivity to St. Thomas Mount (expected by 2017), the MRTS will be integrated into the grid of the Chennai Suburban Railway and the Chennai Metro Rail, thus sharing an intermodal transportation interchange with both the systems, when it is expected to reach its full potential due to uninterrupted movement of commuters across different rail lines in the city. The state and central governments are also working together for the CMRL to takeover the Mass Rapid Transport System (MRTS) so that the latter will get a new shot of blood with modernised stations, integrated ticketing systems, better facilities for passengers, increased frequency of services taking into consideration passenger demands, and also lead to better maintenance. Inadequate maintenance and usage of station facilities The system has also been criticised for improper maintenance of stations and the infrastructure and on the windshields of cars parked below the stations, vandalism at several stations, seepage of rainwater through holes in the roofs of stations non-functional station amenities such as lifts and escalators, Station staff have expressed their concern over the Chennai MRTS's safety issues. and conducting various thefts In a recent bid to provide improve the security of the passengers using the network, it has been decided that the MRTS stations would have a single entry and exit point as it has been difficult for the RPF personnel to monitor multiple gates at the same time. According to sources, there is a 20% shortage in the strength of the railway protection force in