Tamil Nadu Finance Minister N. Marie Wilson speaks as he presents the maiden budget of the TVK-led coalition government in the Legislative Assembly, in Chennai on Wednesday.
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The Tamil Nadu government will actively pursue cross-border Metro rail connectivity linking Hosur in Tamil Nadu with Bommasandra in neighbouring Karnataka.“The Government is also pursuing a proposal for Metro rail from Hosur, Krishnagiri District to Bommasandra in Karnataka with both Government of India and Government of Karnataka,” Tamil Nadu Finance Minister N Marie Wilson said in the Budget 2026-27 presented on Wednesday in the Assembly.The proposed cross-border Metro is expected to improve connectivity between Hosur, one of Tamil Nadu’s fastest-growing industrial hubs, and Bengaluru’s southern manufacturing and technology corridor centred around Bommasandra.The announcement comes as Tamil Nadu continues to seek Central approval for three other proposed Chennai Metro extensions: Chennai Airport to Kilambakkam, Koyambedu to Pattabiram via Avadi, and Poonamallee to Sunguvarchathiram via Sriperumbudur, the Budget said.Electric buses and road maintenanceThe government will operate electric buses under the Gross Cost Contract model. During the current financial year, 1,000 new air-conditioned electric buses will be procured for the Chennai Metropolitan Transport Corporation. A sum of ₹500 crore has been allocated in the Revised Budget Estimates to provide electrical and mechanical fixtures for these buses at the bus depots, the minister said.Roads in Tamil Nadu have deteriorated due to inadequate maintenance, leading to potholes and uneven surfaces that make travelling on them a challenge. To repair these roads, an allocation of ₹250 crore is provided in the Revised Budget Estimates, under which inadequately maintained roads will be taken up under the ‘Performance-Based Maintenance Contract’.Members of the public may photograph and report any road defects through the ‘Namma Salai’ mobile application, and such defects will be rectified promptly. In the Revised Budget Estimates, ₹21,524 crore has been allocated to the Highways and Minor Ports Department, he said.Cooum and Adyar rejuvenationThe government will strive with the utmost resolve to restore the Cooum and the Adyar to their natural state. Rivers such as the Cheonggyecheon in Seoul and the Kallang in Singapore have, through river rejuvenation, become identities spoken of the world over.Global tenders will be invited, and a Detailed Feasibility Report and Detailed Project Report will be prepared to transform the Cooum and the Adyar into the very identity of Chennai. The Government will ensure that the public can boat on the Cooum and the Adyar, that children can play in the waters, and that people of every age can exercise along the riverbanks while breathing clean, unpolluted air, the minister said.Published on August 5, 2026
