Chennai
oi-Prakash KL
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay has urged the Centre to extend Bengaluru Metro to Hosur, saying the project could improve connectivity between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
Speaking at the 31st Southern Zonal Council meeting held in Mahabalipuram, Vijay raised the metro extension as one of several key demands his government is pressing with the Centre, according to report in the Tamil media.
At the Southern Zonal Council meeting, Tamil Nadu CM Vijay urged extending the Bengaluru Metro to Hosur for inter-state connectivity, while Karnataka plans its Yellow Line extension to the Tamil Nadu border at Attibele.
Earlier this month, Tamil Nadu Finance Minister N. Marie Wilson had already flagged this during his state budget speech, saying that officials from the state have been in talks with both the Centre and Karnataka’s team. The aim, he had said, is to secure speedy clearances for what would be a first-of-its-kind interstate metro corridor in south India.
But Karnataka is apparently not in favour of the idea of building an interstate line from Bengaluru to Hosur. In response, Namma Metro has gone ahead and drawn up its own plans to extend the Yellow Line right up to the Tamil Nadu border, Deccan Herald reported.
The proposed 10.5-km elevated stretch would have nine stations and run from Bommasandra to Attibele, the last major suburb before you cross into Tamil Nadu.
The Chief Minister also called for a federal approach among states to tackle the growing menace of narcotic drugs, and reiterated Tamil Nadu’s long-standing demand for exemption from the NEET examination.
The actor-turned-CM sought permission for the state to fill its quota seats based on Class 12 marks, a system that was in place before NEET was introduced. He also flagged the need for tighter regulations on online medicine sales, and greater financial autonomy for southern states when it comes to expenditure decisions.
Notably, he insisted that Supreme Court rulings must be adhered to in inter-state river water disputes, amid the ongoing dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka over the Cauvery water dispute. He made it clear that the Supreme Court’s judgment must be honoured and the orders of the Cauvery Management Authority implemented without delay.
The Mullaperiyar Dam issue found a mention too, with Vijay urging that the water level be raised to 152 feet.
He also voiced concern over the upcoming constituency delimitation exercise, stressing that southern states should not see their representation reduced.
