DMK-led alliance stages protest against Centre rejecting Metrorail project for Madurai

Madurai (Tamil Nadu), Nov 21 (PTI) The DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance on Thursday staged a protest here against the Centre for rejecting the proposed Metrorail project to the temple town.

The alliance members holding party flags raised slogans criticising the BJP-led government for refusing to approve the ambitious project for the city.

The protest was held following the announcement made by Chief Minister M K Stalin on November 19 that the Centre has rejected its proposed Metrorail projects in Coimbatore and Madurai 'on flimsy grounds'.

In a social media post on Friday, Stalin said, "The Secular Progressive Alliance staged protest against the ruling BJP which has been betraying the Koodal Nagar (Madurai) that neither AIIMS will come nor Metro Rail project will come." "We will take the struggle forward through all means to demolish the hurdles placed against the progress of Madurai, which shines as the cultural capital of the State," he wrote and shared some images of the protest.

On November 20, led by senior leader and former Minister V Senthil Balaji, the alliance parties staged a similar protest in Coimbatore.

The Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry recently reportedly returned Tamil Nadu’s Detailed Project Reports (DPR) for the two Tier-II cities, citing the Metro Rail Policy, 2017, which restricts central support to urban agglomerations with a population of at least 20 lakh as per the 2011 Census, according to reports. PTI VIJ VIJ KH