Ready to meet PM Modi to explain Coimbatore, Madurai metro projects: Stalin
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reconsider rejecting proposals for Metro Rail systems in Coimbatore and Madurai, saying the “most urbanised state in the country” needs high-capacity public transport in all major cities.
In a letter to PM Modi, Stalin expressed “disappointment and anguish” over the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) rejecting the proposals, calling the decision a “complete surprise” since state officials, including the Chief Minister, had been in regular touch with the ministry.
Stalin said he had personally raised the issue with PM Modi on May 24 and July 26, and submitted a memorandum of priority requests. The rejection, he said, has caused “deep resentment” among people of both cities. He questioned the basis for rejection, particularly the criterion requiring a minimum population of 2 million, stating that Coimbatore’s LPA area crossed that mark in 2011 and Madurai is also expected to meet it soon.
The CM argued that the policy has not been applied uniformly, as several Tier-2 cities such as Agra, Indore and Patna were approved under similar or less favourable conditions. This, he said, “created an impression of discrimination.”
Stalin also disputed the comparison of Coimbatore’s projected ridership with Chennai’s, pointing out that commuting patterns differ widely. The Comprehensive Mobility Plans for both cities, he noted, clearly recommended MRTS or equivalent systems.