Last month, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin criticised the Union government for denying metro rail projects to Coimbatore and Madurai. This sparked debate on whether metros are really needed in these cities. India spends nearly 40% of urban funds on metros, but only 5-12% of city trips use them. Most urban workers in India travel short distances of 4-5 km daily. These short trips don’t need expensive metros. Instead, they require efficient, local transit. Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore and Madurai are compact and walkable. Installing metros could disrupt their organic urban form and cause major financial strain. Metros cost ₹300-900 crore per km to build, plus high running costs. No Indian metro recovers fares fully, relying on heavy subsidies. For smaller cities, this means diverting money from schools, water, roads, and health services. Successful cities like Curitiba, Bogotá, and Freiburg use Bus Rapid Transit, cycling superhighways, and walkable neighborhoods — not just metros. Tamil Nadu could follow suit with electric buses, cycle lanes, shaded pedestrian paths, and integrated shared autos. These solutions are cheaper, faster to build, and match how people move daily. They promote social inclusion, climate sensitivity, and affordability. Tamil Nadu’s urban future can shine by moving beyond metro obsession and designing transport systems for real needs, not just elite aspirations. Such smart planning could set an example for India. "Tamil Nadu must resist the pressure of equating development and modernity with metros," says Tikender Singh Panwar, former Deputy Mayor of Shimla and Kerala Urban Commission member.  Instead, the state should build mobility that fits its workers, city layouts, and budgets. If it dares to think beyond the metro dream, Tamil Nadu could lead India into a new era of smart urban transport.