Chennai Metro Rail Phase II: Annamalai writes to PM Modi, seeks funds under 50:50 ratio

CHENNAI: State BJP president K Annamalai on Monday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to consider infusing 50:50 equity sharing for Phase II of the Chennai Metro Rail project.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, he accused the ruling DMK government of politicising the CMRL Phase II project over the alleged 'delay' in allocating funds instead of focusing on its snail-paced progress.

Annamalai went on to say that the project, which cost Rs 63,246 crore, has been stalled due to fund trouble. "With its high fiscal deficits, the Tamil Nadu government has no more strings to pull for further loans. However the DMK has chosen to use this as an opportunity to showcase that the Central government has been blind-eyed to Tamil Nadu's requests. This is despite the Centre having invested enormously in the last 10 years to upgrade the State's infrastructure,” he said in his letter.

Highlighting the Narendra Modi-led NDA government’s schemes for Tamil Nadu in the last 10 years, Annamalai requested the Centre's intervention in completing the project. “Considering the significant delay in the project's execution, on behalf of the people of Tamil Nadu, I urgently request that the Central government kindly consider infusing 50 per cent equity for Phase 2 of the Chennai Metro Rail Project to help complete the project as soon as possible," the state BJP chief urged.

Chief Minister MK Stalin too had requested Prime Minister Modi during a meeting last Friday to approve a 50:50 equity sharing model between the State and the Centre for the CMRL Phase II project as was done for Phase I. Stalin said the CMRL project had slowed down due to financial constraints faced by the state government.