NDA will bring Metro Rail to Coimbatore when it comes to power in T.N. next year, says Vanathi

Vanathi Srinivasan, Coimbatore South MLA, said on Thursday that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), comprising AIADMK, BJP, and other parties, would implement the Metro Rail project for Coimbatore when it comes to power in Tamil Nadu next year.

Ms. Srinivasan, who is also the BJP Mahila Morcha president, told journalists in Coimbatore that the ruling DMK and its allies were trying to create an impression that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was against Tamil Nadu and the Centre rejected the Metro Rail projects for Coimbatore and Madurai with a motive. This was “false propaganda”, she alleged.

Claiming the State government submitted a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Coimbatore Metro without applying its mind on four main points, including the population and right of way, she alleged an unviable DPR was submitted to create a false opinion on the Centre. “If the current alignment should be implemented, land acquisition will be high in areas such as Big Bazaar Street and NH road in Coimbatore, leading to several people losing their livelihood,” she said.

“The DMK government wants to create a situation where black flag can be shown to the Prime Minister when he visits the State and such a DPR is a revenge on the people of Coimbatore as all the 10 Assembly seats here are with the AIADMK and its allies,” she alleged.

According to Ms. Srinivasan, the Metro Rail project was approved for Agra as it has high tourist population, for Bhopal as it is a State capital and for Patna due to the State government including the population of nearby municipalities. The Tamil Nadu government should have done its homework before submitting the DPR, she contended.

The DMK is enacting a drama to take revenge on the people of Coimbatore. “Our promise to the people of Coimbatore is when the DMK government is sent home and the NDA forms the next government and (AIADMK general secretary) Edappadi K. Palaniswami becomes the Chief Minister, we will submit a revised DPR and implement the Metro Rail project in Coimbatore,” the MLA added.