Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Palanivel Thiagarajan on Monday, March 20, announced that Madurai and Coimbatore will get metro services. Presenting the Tamil Nadu budget, the state finance minister said that a metro rail project will be implemented at an estimated cost of Rs 9,000 crore along Avinashi Road and Sathyamangalam Road in Coimbatore. Meanwhile, the metro rail project in Madurai will be implemented at an estimated cost of Rs 8,500.

Stating that Coimbatore is one of the fastest-growing tier-II cities in the country, PTR said that it is home to “a plethora of economic activities such as textiles, trade, commerce, technology, medical facilities and manufacturing.” He further added that the city has been selected for the metro rail project because of its future growth potential.

Meanwhile, the minister stated that Madurai has been chosen for the metro rail project so that it can be “an engine of development for the southern region [of Tamil Nadu]. He added that the metro will be constructed underground through the central parts of the city and will connect Thirumangalam to Othakadai. PTR also said that the metro construction will begin in these two cities after the state obtains permission from the union government and will secure funding from external agencies.

In 2021, the union government announced Rs 63,000 crore for the ongoing construction of the Chennai metro. The metro construction in the capital city was announced in 2007 at an estimated cost of Rs 14,600 crore with a 5% forecasted increase.