Political leaders urge Centre to approve metro rail project for Coimbatore

With the Union government returning Tamil Nadu’s proposal for metro rail projects for Coimbatore and Madurai, former Coimbatore South MLA Vanathi Srinivasan said in a press release on Wednesday (July 29) that the TVK-led government should revise the detailed project report and submit it to the Centre again.Ms. Srinivasan said in a press release that the DPR should be based on the current Comprehensive Mobility Plan and population of the urban conglomeration and local planning area. The Centre has been funding several infrastructure projects in the State, including the second phase of metro rail in Chennai. It approves any proposal that meets the criteria mentioned in the metro policy, she added.Former AIADMK Minister S.P. Velumani said in a statement on Tuesday that former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa announced metro rail project for Coimbatore and allocated ₹3 crore as the district had the required population. The AIADMK government had planned metro rails connecting Coimbatore city with Mettupalayam and Madukkarai too. The CMRL had submitted a ₹10,740 crore project for Coimbatore, with alignments for the Sathyamangalam and Avinashi roads.The Union government should take into consideration Coimbatore’s industrial growth and approve the metro rail project for the district, he said.Industry associations in Coimbatore have reiterated their demand for a metro rai project, saying it is crucial for the development of the city. Published - July 29, 2026 09:24 pm IST