Stalin urges PM Modi to reconsider rejection of Coimbatore and Madurai Metro projects

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Saturday conveyed his disappointment to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Centre’s rejection of Metro Rail proposals for Coimbatore and Madurai, stating that the decision has caused resentment among people in both cities. He requested the Union government to reconsider the move.

In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister, Stalin said that high-capacity public transport systems were essential for fast-expanding urban centres, noting that Tamil Nadu remains the most urbanised state in the country with high per-capita private vehicle ownership. He said that, given this context, the state government prepared the DPRs (Detailed Project Reports) for Metro Rail projects in Coimbatore and Madurai and submitted them to the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs MoHUA (Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs) for approval. However, the proposals were subsequently rejected.

Stalin said the rejection has created “deep resentment” in both cities as residents believe their legitimate needs have been overlooked compared to other states where similar projects have been sanctioned. He recalled that he had personally raised the issue with the Prime Minister during meetings on 24 May 2025 and 26 July 2025, during which he had submitted a memorandum outlining priority requirements.

The Chief Minister urged the Prime Minister to instruct MoHUA to review the decision. He added that he is willing to travel to New Delhi with state officials to explain the case in detail, stressing that the projects represent the aspirations of Tamil Nadu’s major industrial and cultural hubs.

Responding to the reasons reportedly cited for the rejection, Stalin said applying the 2-million population threshold from the Metro Rail Policy 2017 was inappropriate, as the population of the Coimbatore Local Planning Authority area had crossed that mark in 2011, and Madurai was also projected to have reached it. He further argued that if the same population benchmark had been uniformly enforced, Metro projects in Tier-II cities such as Agra, Indore and Patna may not have materialised. The “selective application” of criteria, he said, has created an impression of discrimination against Tamil Nadu, and the Centre must dispel it.

Stalin also criticised the method of assessing ridership projections by comparing Coimbatore with Chennai, saying that commuter patterns vary across the state. The Comprehensive Mobility Plan for Coimbatore, prepared by RITES, and the 2011 CMP for Madurai had already justified the need for mass transit routes, and independent DPR studies had reinforced that requirement. He said these factors had not been adequately considered by MoHUA.

Addressing concerns about land availability, Stalin said Metro projects in other Indian cities have required acquisition of private land, and Tamil Nadu was prepared to balance social costs with long-term socio-economic benefits. He added that compensation packages offered in current projects had met landowners’ expectations and assured that land would not pose an obstacle in Coimbatore or Madurai.

The Chief Minister said he has instructed the Department of Special Initiatives to submit detailed clarifications to the Centre on issues raised by MoHUA as part of the proposal review process.