TN's Tier II Metro projects still alive, Centre only raising queries on weak DPR, says Nainar

MADURAI: The proposed Metro Rail projects in Madurai and Coimbatore have not been scrapped and will materialise by June 2026, BJP state unit president Nainar Nagenthran said on Thursday, countering speculation that the Union government had rejected the plans.

Speaking to reporters in Tirunelveli, Nagenthran said the Centre had only returned the Detailed Project Report (DPR) to the Tamil Nadu government for revisions, as the document was “not definitive and complete,” particularly in the case of Coimbatore. He alleged that the State government showed little interest in advancing the Metro projects and submitted a weak DPR that failed to reflect Coimbatore’s actual requirements.

Nagenthran alleged the DMK government deliberately prepared a weak report because the Opposition represents most Coimbatore constituencies. He added that while the city alone caters to over 16 lakh population, according to the 2011 Census, the State had not provided updated data.

Nagenthran insisted the Metro projects remain active and criticised the state for hindering their progress.

Shifting to law and order, the BJP leader said Tamil Nadu had witnessed a rise in murders, robberies and burglaries, alongside increasing drug use among youths. He cited 631 murders recorded this year and claimed that since the DMK assumed office, the State had seen 18,200 incidents of sexual abuse, with other crimes against women and children also rising.