For more than a decade now, Coimbatore has been asking for a Mass Rapid Transit System as the ever-rising vehicle population chokes the city’s roads, especially during peak hours.
Though the State Government had announced plans for MRTS for the city, the proposals have not even gone to the drawing board stage, say officials.
An official of the District Administration told The Hindu there is no proposal under consideration now for MRTS for Coimbatore.
According to Vanitha Mohan, president of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Coimbatore, the chamber and other industrial associations prepare vision documents and submit it to the Governments regularly. And, one of the long-pending demands is for a mono or a metro rail for the city. Yet, there has been no development.
Two years ago, former Managing Director of Delhi Metro E. Sreedharan suggested a two-lane metro, one from Saravanampatti to Karpagam college and the other from Vadavalli (Marudhamalai road) to Chinniyampalayam, both intersecting at Gandhipuram.
D. Nandakumar, former president of the chamber, says “Cities such as Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode have a feasibility plan in place for MRTS.” It was only possible because of the representation and commitment of the State and the Central Governments. This commitment seems to be elusive in the context of Tamil Nadu,” adds R. Raveendran, secretary of Residents Awareness Association of Coimbatore.
K. Kathirmathiyon, secretary of Coimbatore Consumer Cause, said “Seven years ago, when an MRTS was proposed for tier-two cities, Coimbatore was in the list. While cities such as Kochi, which are smaller than Coimbatore in size and in population, have already constructed a metro rail system and have conducted a trial run, it is sad that there has not been even an initiation of a plan to study the need for an MRTS. The District Administration and the Tamil Nadu Government are to be blamed,” he said.
