The Tamil Nadu Government has made a big pitch for the metro network in the State Budget presented on 20 March.
Presenting Tamil Nadu’s Budget for the financial year 2023-24, Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan announced Metro Rail project for Coimbatore and Madurai cities.
The State government will start the work on the Metro Rail in these two cities with funding from external agencies after taking necessary approval from the Union Government.
Coimbatore Metro
The budget announced the implementation of the Metro Rail project in Coimbatore city.
The Metro Rail project will be implemented along Avinashi Road and Sathyamangalam Road at an estimated cost of Rs 9,000 crore.
Coimbatore City, known as the Manchester of South India, is one of the fastest growing Tier-II cities in India. It is home to a plethora of economic activities such as textiles, trade, commerce, technology, medical facilities and manufacturing and is an embodiment of entrepreneurial spirit.
Keeping in view the future growth potential of the city, the government has decided to implement the Metro Rail project in Coimbatore city.
Madurai Metro
In Madurai, the Metro Rail project will be implemented at an estimated cost of Rs 8,500 crore, the Minister stated in his budget speech.
Constructed underground through the central parts of the town, the Metro Rail will connect Thirumangalam to Othakadai.
The metro network in Madurai will transform the ever lively and vibrant city as an engine of development for the southern region.
Chennai Metro
A sum of Rs 10,000 crore has been allotted towards Chennai Metro Rail Project in this Budget.
Currently work on Phase-II of the Chennai Metro Rail Project is in progress at a total cost of Rs 63,246 crore.
The third phase of Chennai Metro spans a length of 119 km across three Corridors i.e., Corridor-3 from Madhavaram to SIPCOT (45.8 km), Corridor-4 from Lighthouse to Poonamallee Bypass (26.1 km) and Corridor-5 from Madhavaram to Sholinganallur (47 km).
The first stretch of Corridor-4 from Poonamallee Depot to Kodambakkam Powerhouse section is expected to be ready for commissioning by December, 2025.
The Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) which is the implementing agency for the project has set a deadline of December 2025 for commercial operations of the Lighthouse to Powerhouse section on Corridor-4 and the remaining part of the whole project.