Thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Union Government’s financial support for the Chennai Metro Rail phase II, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday requested that priority be accorded for its implementation in Coimbatore and Madurai cities as well.
The Chief Minister, reviewing the progress of the Metro Rail project works along with Union Urban Development Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, said that he was thankful to Modi and the Union Government for conceding his plea for granting approval for the 8.9 km Rs 63,246 crore Phase II project. So far Rs 19,229 crore had been spent on the project and all efforts are being made to complete it by schedule, he added.
In an X post, Stalin said that he had urged the Union Government to extend similar support for the extension of Metro Rail from the Chennai airport to the mofussil bus terminus at Kilambakkam on the Grand Trunk Road. Further, he had sought funding for Metro rail in tier-two cities like Coimbatore and Madurai.
On the success of the Metro network in the city, the Chief Minister said, the work for the Rs 22,150 crore Phase I was commenced in 2007 during the then Karunanidhi Government as a joint venture of the Union Government and the state. Now, the 54.1 km stretch it is being used by 3.5 lakh people every day.
As it is the case in the national capital, in Chennai the Metro Rail network remains the preferred mode of transport of office goers and those travelling to the airport.