A team from Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) began inspecting the proposed metro rail routes in Madurai today morning and it is set to continue the inspection tomorrow. The team will also be visiting Coimbatore later to evaluate the Coimbatore Metro Rail Project plans.

AIIB has shown interest on both metro rail projects, and it has sent its representatives to conduct as on-site inspection in Madurai first on Wednesday. 

The team held the inspections in Madurai along with representatives from CMRL, and is set to visit Coimbatore today and hold inspections here on Thursday. After completing both the inspections, they will take part in a meeting with the government’s finance department secretary on Friday and take a final call regarding the sanction of loans for the two metro rail projects.

Earlier, it was stated that the AIIB team will hold inspections here in Covai on Wednesday. However the plans have changed.

Nearly Rs.11,000 crore is required to begin the Coimbatore Metro Rail Project. The project's phase 1 will cover 40 kms. via 2 corridors namely PSG Foundry - Ukkadam Bus Stand corridor and Collectorate to Valiyampalayam Pirivu corridor. Once commenced the phase 1 of the project will take 4 years to complete.

The areas that will be covered under phase 1 include Neelambur, Airport, Coimbatore Medical College, Hopes College, Fun Mall, GKNM Hospital, Collectorate, Coimbatore Junction, Ukkadam Bus Stand, Gandhipuram Bus Stand, Ganapathy Pudur, Ramakrishna Mills, Saravanampatti, and VGP Nagar.