Section Overview
10,000 new buses over 5 years, integrated bus terminals, metro expansion advocacy for Coimbatore/Madurai, new railway lines (advocacy), MRTS transfer to state, and airport expansion at Hosur and Coimbatore.
Summary Ratings
| Fiscal Pressure | Economic Benefit | Social Benefit | Implementation Risk |
| HIGH | HIGH | HIGH | MEDIUM |
Proposal-by-Proposal Analysis
The table below provides fiscal cost estimates and impact ratings for the principal proposals in this section.
| Key Proposal | Fiscal Cost Estimate | Economic Benefit | Social Benefit |
| 10,000 new buses over 5 years | Electric bus at ₹1.5 cr; diesel at ₹60 lakh. Mix: ₹8,500–12,000 cr over 5 years = ₹1,700–2,400 cr/yr. Central FAME subsidy reduces state share by ~20%. | HIGH | HIGH |
| Metro rail for Coimbatore and Madurai (advocacy) | These are UDAN/central projects. State DPR costs: ₹50–80 cr each. Central approval and funding required. | HIGH | HIGH |
| Integrated Bus Terminus in each corporation | ₹50–150 cr each × 12 corporations = ₹600–1,800 cr. | HIGH | HIGH |
| Minibus for narrow-lane areas in cities | 500 minibuses × ₹25–35 lakh = ₹125–175 cr. | LOW | HIGH |
| MRTS transfer to state + metro-level upgrade | Negotiation cost: minimal. Upgrade: ₹1,500–2,500 cr over 5 years. | HIGH | HIGH |
| Hosur airport (advocacy with Centre) | State land: ~₹200–500 cr. Central/private construction. | MEDIUM | HIGH |
Analytical Notes
⚑ Analytical Note: TN’s Vidiyalpayanam (free bus for women) has covered 898 crore trips – among the largest transit welfare programmes in the world. The new bus fleet is both a welfare commitment and a critical public transport infrastructure investment. Electric buses align with climate commitments; FAME-III subsidy makes the economics increasingly viable. Metro expansion to Tier-2 cities depends on Centre-state cooperation but is feasible given Coimbatore and Madurai’s population and economic profiles.
