Overview
- On Tuesday, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs declined Tamil Nadu’s metro proposals for Coimbatore and Madurai, citing the Metro Rail Policy 2017 threshold of 20 lakh based on the 2011 census.
- The ministry’s communication referenced 2011 counts placing Coimbatore at 15.84 lakh and Madurai at about 15 lakh, while alternate boundaries show higher totals such as Coimbatore’s LPA at 23.5 lakh and Madurai’s urban agglomeration at 14.7 lakh.
- The letter dated November 14 returned the Detailed Project Reports and suggested cost-effective options like a robust bus system and Bus Rapid Transit for these cities.
- Tamil Nadu had submitted DPRs in February 2024 and a Comprehensive Mobility Plan with an Alternatives Analysis in December 2024, and stated in March 2025 that the projects were under consideration.
- State officials questioned consistency by pointing to Union approvals for cities such as Agra, Patna and Bhopal with lower 2011 populations, while the Centre emphasized intensive appraisal, feasibility and resource availability for funding decisions.