Coimbatore’s proposed Metro Rail project may see a fresh push, with expectations that the Tamil Nadu government will re-examine the detailed project report (DPR) prepared during the DMK tenure, correct shortcomings and resubmit it to the Union government for approval.
The Centre had announced in 2011 that a Metro could be implemented in Coimbatore. Chennai Metro Rail Ltd later carried out a feasibility study and submitted a report, but it was returned once for lack of adequate supporting documents and rejected twice, according to the report.
Observers say the DPR must clearly explain Coimbatore’s on-ground conditions to officials in Delhi and be reworked department-wise. The earlier DPR is also being urged to be kept out of political contest, with the focus placed on securing approval and implementing the project.
The report notes key practical issues, including road width. While the DPR proposed Metro along 22-metre-wide roads, Coimbatore has stretches where width is limited. A 20.4-km corridor was studied on Avinashi Road from the Anna Durai statue junction to Neelambur, with a Metro depot planned at Neelambur requiring 16 hectares and land acquisition of 10 hectares for the two corridors.
It also argues that approval prospects could improve if the state commits to bearing land acquisition costs, citing precedents such as compensation paid for airport expansion land and conditions linked to land acquisition for a flyover at Singanallur junction. The report further flags that combining Coimbatore and Madurai DPRs is a mistake, as Coimbatore’s proposal is elevated while Madurai’s is underground, and recommends seeking approvals separately. Coimbatore MP Rajkumar said Metro is essential for fast-growing cities and would support planned development as IT parks emerge and the city expands.
