The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has rejected Tamil Nadu’s revised proposals for the Coimbatore and Madurai Metro Rail projects for the second time, citing inadequate population, low projected ridership, limited travel-time savings and the need to prioritise bus-based public transport.
Coimbatore:
The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has once again rejected Tamil Nadu’s revised proposals for the Coimbatore and Madurai Metro Rail projects, marking the second time the Centre has declined approval for plans to expand metro connectivity beyond Chennai. The proposals were first returned in November 2025, making the latest decision another setback to the State’s efforts to extend its rapid transit network.
In a letter dated July 22 to the Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary, the ministry said the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) prepared by Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) failed to adequately justify the need for metro rail systems in the two cities. It disputed several technical justifications put forward by CMRL and the State Government, stating that the reports overstated the advantages of an elevated metro system over more economical bus-based public transport alternatives.
The Centre observed that both Coimbatore and Madurai have populations of around 15 lakh, well below the two-million benchmark prescribed under the Metro Rail Policy, 2017. It also rejected the State Government’s reliance on 2022 projected population estimates, insisting that the 2011 Census should be the basis for evaluation. While Tamil Nadu cited planning estimates placing Coimbatore’s population at nearly 29.7 lakh, the ministry pointed out that the 2011 Census records the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation’s population at about 15.84 lakh.
The ministry also rejected CMRL’s claim that the proposed Coimbatore Metro would reduce travel time by around eight minutes on a 7.5-km peak-hour journey, stating that after accounting for walking and waiting time at stations, the overall time savings would be minimal. It further noted that metro systems generally become significantly more attractive only for journeys of 15 km or longer, which is considerably higher than the average trip length projected for Coimbatore.
Questioning the ridership projections, MoHUA said Coimbatore’s underdeveloped city bus network and the absence of strong feeder services and last-mile connectivity would make it difficult for the metro to attract sufficient passengers. It also referred to Tamil Nadu’s decision not to participate in the Centre’s PM e-Bus Sewa Scheme, stating that the programme could have strengthened bus services in Coimbatore and Madurai while improving last-mile connectivity for metro commuters.
Apart from ridership and population concerns, the Centre flagged engineering and implementation challenges, noting that portions of the proposed metro corridors pass through roads less than 20 metres wide, making property acquisition and demolition likely during construction. It also cited delays in the execution of existing infrastructure projects as an additional concern.
The state government had proposed a ₹10,740 crore metro project for Coimbatore comprising a 39-km elevated corridor, while the ₹11,360 crore Madurai Metro project envisaged a 31.93-km network with both elevated and underground sections.
While rejecting the metro proposals, the ministry clarified that it had no objection in principle to implementing Bus Rapid Transit Systems (BRTS) in cities such as Coimbatore and Madurai, where such systems may be more suitable and cost-effective.
The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has once again rejected Tamil Nadu’s revised proposals for the Coimbatore and Madurai Metro Rail projects, marking the second time the Centre has declined approval for plans to expand metro connectivity beyond Chennai. The proposals were first returned in November 2025, making the latest decision another setback to the State’s efforts to extend its rapid transit network.
In a letter dated July 22 to the Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary, the ministry said the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) prepared by Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) failed to adequately justify the need for metro rail systems in the two cities. It disputed several technical justifications put forward by CMRL and the State Government, stating that the reports overstated the advantages of an elevated metro system over more economical bus-based public transport alternatives.
The Centre observed that both Coimbatore and Madurai have populations of around 15 lakh, well below the two-million benchmark prescribed under the Metro Rail Policy, 2017. It also rejected the State Government’s reliance on 2022 projected population estimates, insisting that the 2011 Census should be the basis for evaluation. While Tamil Nadu cited planning estimates placing Coimbatore’s population at nearly 29.7 lakh, the ministry pointed out that the 2011 Census records the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation’s population at about 15.84 lakh.
The ministry also rejected CMRL’s claim that the proposed Coimbatore Metro would reduce travel time by around eight minutes on a 7.5-km peak-hour journey, stating that after accounting for walking and waiting time at stations, the overall time savings would be minimal. It further noted that metro systems generally become significantly more attractive only for journeys of 15 km or longer, which is considerably higher than the average trip length projected for Coimbatore.
Questioning the ridership projections, MoHUA said Coimbatore’s underdeveloped city bus network and the absence of strong feeder services and last-mile connectivity would make it difficult for the metro to attract sufficient passengers. It also referred to Tamil Nadu’s decision not to participate in the Centre’s PM e-Bus Sewa Scheme, stating that the programme could have strengthened bus services in Coimbatore and Madurai while improving last-mile connectivity for metro commuters.
Apart from ridership and population concerns, the Centre flagged engineering and implementation challenges, noting that portions of the proposed metro corridors pass through roads less than 20 metres wide, making property acquisition and demolition likely during construction. It also cited delays in the execution of existing infrastructure projects as an additional concern.
The state government had proposed a ₹10,740 crore metro project for Coimbatore comprising a 39-km elevated corridor, while the ₹11,360 crore Madurai Metro project envisaged a 31.93-km network with both elevated and underground sections.
While rejecting the metro proposals, the ministry clarified that it had no objection in principle to implementing Bus Rapid Transit Systems (BRTS) in cities such as Coimbatore and Madurai, where such systems may be more suitable and cost-effective.