Thangam Thennarasu urges TN BJP to get approval from Centre for metro rail projects

CHENNAI: State Minister for Finance and Human Resources Management Thangam Thennarasu on Wednesday urged the State unit of the BJP to get the approval from the Modi-led Union government for the metro rail projects along with Centre's contribution.

Responding to the BJP MLA Vanathi Srinivasan's speech in the House, minister Thangam Thennarasu questioned why the Union government, which had approved the Kochi Metro Rail Projects, did not approve Chennai Metro Rail projects.

He further urged the BJP legislator Vanathi to utilise her influence at the Centre and get the approval for at least Coimbatore.

Slamming the Narendra Modi-led Union government, minister Thangam Thennarasu said the State government is spending entirely from its own funds to the Chennai Metro Rail Phase II project at an estimated cost of Rs 69,000 crore, adding that he question arises as to why the Centre has not given even a single penny till date.

However, the Coimbatore (South) MLA Vanathi said the state unit of BJP is ready to hold talks with the Centre when the state government shares the project details of Chennai, Madurai and Coimbatore Metro Rail schemes.

"Our (TN BJP) job is to stand for the development of Tamil Nadu and everyone should work for the development of the State without politicising the issue, " Vanathi said during the Budget debate in the House.