Chennai, Mar 20 (IANS): The Tamil Nadu government has decided to put Coimbatore and Madurai on the metro rail map at an outlay of Rs 17,500 crore funded by external agencies, said Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan on Monday.

Presenting the state budget for 2023-24 in the Assembly, he also said a sum of Rs 10,000 crore has been allotted towards the Chennai Metro Rail Project in the budget.

Rajan said Coimbatore, also known as the 'Manchester of South India', is one of the fastest growing tier-2 cities in India, has varied industries like textiles, manufacturing, commerce, medical facilities, among others.

He added the metro rail project will be implemented along the Avinashi Road and Sathyamangalam Road at an estimated cost of Rs 9,000 crore.

Rajan, who hails from Madurai, did not leave out his hometown and said in order to transform the ever lively and vibrant Madurai as an engine of development for the southern region, the metro rail project will be implemented in the city at an estimated cost of Rs 8,500 crore.

Constructed underground through the central parts of the town, the metro rail will connect Thirumangalam to Othakadai.

"After obtaining approval from the Union government, the metro rail projects in these two cities will be implemented with funding from external agencies," the Minister said.

Concerning the second phase of Chennai metro rail project, Rajan added that the stretch of elevated corridor from Poonamallee Depot to Kodambakkam Powerhouse is expected to be ready for commissioning by December 2025.

A sum of Rs 10,000 crore has been allotted towards Chennai Metro Rail Project in this Budget, he said.

The second phase of the Chennai Metro Rail Project involves a length of 119 km in three corridors at a total cost of Rs 63,246 crore. The works on the project are in progress.