COIMBATORE: A

’ associations in

has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to expand the proposed

to Coimbatore.

The association has said that projects like GAIL pipeline can be implemented in a utility corridor that goes along the economic corridor. This way many farmer’s lands can get spared.

On Saturday, the Tamil Nadu Vivaisaigal Sangam (non-political) wrote to Modi stating that if the economic corridor was expanded to Coimbatore, then all the petroleum product pipelines and electric tower lines could be routed above and under this corridor.

This way, many projects delayed for years because of protests by farmers could be implemented faster. “In Gujarat, the GAIL pipeline was routed under a utility corridor along one of their industrial corridors,” said association district secretary P Kandasamy.

“Implementing these projects in a way that farmers do not get affected will bring down delays and consequent rise in project costs,” said Kandasamy.

The proposed Mumbai-Bangalore economic corridor will be a 1,100-km-long highway which will be built at a cost of Rs 1 lakh crore. It is expected to create around 25 lakh jobs. The corridor, which is part of the Peninsular Region Industrial Development Corridor (PRIDE) which runs along the Dhabol gas line from Mumbai and Chennai, is expected to generate heavy investments.