Rejection of Metro Rail projects for Coimbatore and Madurai shows Centre’s step-motherly attitude towards T.N.’

By rejecting the Metro Rail proposals for Coimbatore and Madurai and instead sanctioning it for cities in other States, which were smaller in geographical size, it was “evident that the Union government continues to approach Tamil Nadu with a step-motherly attitude” even in the case of Metro Rail projects, the Governor’s address, which was deemed to be read in the Assembly on Tuesday, said.

(Though the Governor declined to read out the prepared speech and walked out, a resolution was adopted in the House that the speech prepared by the State government and sent to him would be considered as having been read out by him in the House.)

The State government recognised the need for Metro Rail projects in Coimbatore and Madurai, the fastest-growing Tier-II cities next to Chennai and decided to implement Metro Rail projects in these cities. Accordingly, detailed project reports were prepared and sent to the Union government for approval. “However, it is regrettable that the Union government has returned these project reports without granting approval, citing that the population of Coimbatore and Madurai is less than 20 lakh, the address said.