TIRUCHY: Congress’s Sivaganga MP Karti Chidambaram’s reply to a social media post, based on a TNIE report on the Tiruchy Metro project, has put several party leaders and others in the INDIA bloc in a spot. A TNIE report that appeared in these columns in the edition dated August 29, 2024, brought out details of the status of the plan for a metro rail in Tiruchy city.
Replying to an RTI by the daily, the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) informed that a detailed feasibility report (DFR) on the project has been prepared and that it was under the consideration of the state government. The DFR pegged the project estimate cost at Rs 10,917.64 crore.
The details have since been widely shared by others on social media platforms. To one such post on platform X, MP Karti Chidambaram recently replied that Tiruchy does not need a metro project, drawing widespread criticism. “We need to end these grand unthinking projects.
Focus on the basics," read the MP’s post on X. To this, a senior DMK leader said, "There was no need for the Sivaganga MP to comment on a project in Tiruchy. The metro project will encourage more people to avoid commuting in their personal vehicles, reducing pollution and traffic congestion.
Similarly, his comment on the focus on basics was totally unnecessary. DMK is focused on improving basic infrastructure. We will raise our dissent in the next party meeting." Meanwhile, a popular Congress leader on the MP’s post said, "It may be his personal opinion. I am sure that Congress workers in Tiruchy don't share such a view.
We want a metro system in Tiruchy." Replying directly to the MP’s post on X, DMK's Perambalur MP Arun Nehru said, "Mr Karthi, I have been thanking people of Perambalur constituency for choosing me. My parliamentary constituency comprises four Assembly constituencies from Tiruchy district.
People have been overwhelmingly positive on the need for a metro project connecting rural areas with the city centre which houses colleges, hospitals, government offices, etc. you must understand that the city has grown rapidly and needs modern infrastructure like metro to manage the urban density where roads cannot handle future population growth."
Taking to X, Congress leader and Virudhunagar MLA Manickam Tagore posted: "Tiruchy and Madurai's next 20 years can be transformed with a metro system, modern airports, and upgraded railways. Let's unite to build world-class infrastructure that will make our cities future-ready for the next generation."
To this, Arun Nehru replied, "Thanks @manickamtagore. Just adding a few data points to help people understand the nature of growth of Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu is more urbanised with 48.4% of people living in urban areas versus 30% for rest of India. It is estimated to touch 67% by 2030. This will make the Metro a highly preferred transportation mode in the future."