MADURAI: The Dakshin Railway Employees' Union (DRPU) has questioned the Centre's decision to reject the Madurai and Coimbatore Metro Rail projects for a second time, asking why metro projects were approved for several cities in north and central India with populations of less than 20 lakh.

In a statement, DRPU general secretary Sankaranarayanan alleged that the Centre had rejected the proposals solely on the basis of population, despite Tamil Nadu submitting revised detailed project reports for both cities. He said the Centre had relied on 2011 Census figures instead of considering the cities' projected growth. According to the union, Madurai's population has now crossed 20 lakh and is expected to increase further by the time the metro project is completed.

Sankaranarayanan argued that metro rail projects should be evaluated based on long-term factors such as urban expansion, industrial development, economic growth and future transport demand, rather than existing population alone. He said Madurai, as the gateway to southern Tamil Nadu, required a metro rail network. He also questioned the basis on which metro projects were approved for Kanpur, Indore, Nagpur and Bhubaneswar, claiming those cities have populations of less than 20 lakh.

The union further opposed the Centre's reported recommendation to implement a Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) instead of a metro, saying Madurai lacks the road infrastructure needed for such a project. The statement urged the Centre to reconsider its decision and accord approval for the Madurai Metro Rail project at the earliest.