Centre to link Coimbatore to bullet train corridor, BJP confident of poll position
Insiders noted that a combined push on healthcare infrastructure, mega-projects and Budget-linked announcements could reshape the pre-election landscape and position the BJP as a development-oriented alternative in a State dominated by Dravidian parties.
CHENNAI: Ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, the BJP-led Union government is expected to unveil two major announcements for Tamil Nadu in the upcoming Union Budget: a bullet train corridor connecting the State to the national high-speed rail network and the long-delayed inauguration of AIIMS Madurai.
Insiders noted that a combined push on healthcare infrastructure, mega-projects and Budget-linked announcements could reshape the pre-election landscape and position the BJP as a development-oriented alternative in a State dominated by Dravidian parties.
The AIIMS facility at Thoppur in Madurai, which faced prolonged delays owing to land and financing procedures, is now scheduled to begin phased operations in January 2026. Simultaneously, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is likely to formally announce a bullet train project in February, according to senior BJP functionaries.
Party insiders said the proposed corridor will originate from Coimbatore and connect to the national high-speed rail grid. Following the Budget announcement, the project is expected to move into preparatory work within three years.
While BJP leaders maintain that both decisions are part of the Centre’s broader development plan, senior party sources acknowledged that the timing is politically significant in Tamil Nadu, where the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance has repeatedly criticised the Union government over project delays, especially the recent controversy over the rejection of Metro Rail for Madurai and Coimbatore.
Senior BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan defended the timeline for the Madurai AIIMS, noting the over 10-year delay in the project and saying it was focused on “global standards, not symbolic deadlines.” She added that under the NDA, Tamil Nadu had received 11 new medical colleges and an AIIMS, “which previous governments never initiated.”
The Coimbatore and Madurai metro rail proposals, however, remain under scrutiny. While the State government has pressed for immediate approval, Union sources said the Detailed Project Reports (DPR) require revision to meet population norms and feasibility criteria.
Coimbatore South MLA Vanathi Srinivasan said the proposals could proceed once the DPRs are corrected. “The current documents lack technical preparedness. The Centre is ready to assist, but the State must comply with policy guidelines,” she said.
TN BJP spokesperson ANS Prasad said the AIIMS project had been “misrepresented for political gains,” asserting that delays stemmed only from statutory clearances. “AIIMS Madurai will start functioning from January 2026 and will be fully operational from the next academic year,” he said.
BJP leaders deny any electoral motive behind the bullet train initiative, though party insiders admit such announcements could strengthen the NDA’s position and counter the DMK’s narrative in the State. “Every State deserves world-class connectivity and healthcare. Tamil Nadu will receive both under Prime Minister Modi’s governance,” Prasad said.