Chennai, 24 November (H.S.) : The cancellation of the Metro Rail project has come as a major disappointment to residents and city planners in Coimbatore, which is currently experiencing the worst traffic congestion among Tamil Nadu’s tier-two cities.

City planners insist that a high-capacity mass rapid transit network is now a necessity, arguing that existing infrastructure like flyovers and road expansions can only provide temporary relief for the city’s long-term traffic problems and high vehicle density.

A statement from J Sathish, a core-committee member of Coimbatore Next, a wing of the Confederation of Indian Industry, highlighted the urgency, asserting that the facility's absence has effectively pushed the rapidly expanding city back by ten years.

The group announced plans to submit official representations to both Chief Minister MK Stalin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the implementation of the essential project. Proponents recall that the two proposed corridors were selected after a detailed study that was advised by 'Metro Man' E Sreedharan.

However, K Kathirmathiyon, secretary of the consumer advocacy group Coimbatore Consumer Cause, expressed reservations about the project’s financial viability, noting that Metro systems in many cities often incur heavy operational losses.

He pointed out that the newly constructed ten-kilometre GD Naidu flyover has already improved road connectivity and reduced the immediate need for a Metro line connecting to the airport.

While expressing doubts, he suggested that connecting the Metro to the neighboring Tirupur district could significantly increase its patronage, given the high number of commuters travelling between the two interconnected regions.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Dr. R. B. Chaudhary