Coimbatore's Metro Vision: The Survey is On!

Coimbatore has launched a land survey for two metro corridors, with ₹2 crore allocated by Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) for the project.

The 35 km survey—20.4 km along Avinashi Road (Corridor I) and 14.4 km along Sathyamangalam Road (Corridor II)—began on Wednesday. It involves mapping roads, identifying underground utilities like power lines, telecom cables, water pipelines, and drainage chambers, and planning relocations for metro construction.

Two private surveying firms, one from Delhi and another from Chennai, are conducting initial assessments on a trial basis. The final contractor will be selected based on their reports. Advanced mapping technologies such as DGPS, mobile LiDAR scanning, and ground-penetrating radar are being utilized.

Coimbatore Collector Pavankumar G Giriyappanavar noted that land acquisition along Avinashi Road—home to industries, educational institutions, and hospitals—poses greater challenges than Sathyamangalam Road, where highway expansion is also underway. The city corporation has sought CMRL’s expertise in addressing acquisition hurdles, traffic management, and infrastructure challenges.

Consumer rights activist K. Kathirmathiyon highlighted concerns over fair land compensation, citing potential disputes between government valuation and market rates. However, initial discussions with major institutions along Avinashi Road have helped ease potential conflicts.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.