Chennai, Jul 26: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to arrive in Tamil Nadu on Saturday to inaugurate, lay the foundation stone, and dedicate to the nation a slew of development projects across key sectors, collectively valued at over Rs 4,800 crore.

PM Modi’s visit comes immediately after returning from official trips to the UK and the Maldives.

He will first arrive in Tuticorin, where he will unveil a series of infrastructure and connectivity initiatives aimed at boosting the state’s economic and industrial growth.

In a significant step toward enhancing regional air infrastructure, the Prime Minister will inaugurate the new terminal building at Tuticorin Airport, built at a cost of around Rs 450 crore.

Spread over 17,340 square metres, the terminal is designed to handle 1,350 passengers during peak hours and up to 20 lakh annually, with future expansion planned for 1,800 peak-hour passengers and 25 lakh per year.

The terminal incorporates sustainable features such as 100 per cent LED lighting, energy-efficient systems, and treated water reuse through an on-site Sewage Treatment Plant, qualifying it for a GRIHA-4 sustainability rating.

The Prime Minister will also dedicate two major national highway projects to the nation. The first is the four-laning of the 50 km Sethiyathope–Cholapuram stretch of NH-36, developed under the Vikravandi–Thanjavur corridor at a cost of over Rs 2,350 crore.

This includes bypasses, a 1-km bridge over the Kollidam River, flyovers, and underpasses, and is expected to cut travel time by 45 minutes in the region. The second project involves the six-laning of the 5.16 km NH-138 Tuticorin Port Road, constructed at a cost of Rs 200 crore.

It includes multiple underpasses and bridges, aimed at facilitating smoother cargo movement, reducing logistics costs, and promoting port-led growth near the V.O. Chidambaranar Port.

PM Modi will also inaugurate North Cargo Berth–III at the V.O. Chidambaranar Port, developed at a cost of approximately Rs 285 crore. The berth has a handling capacity of 6.96 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA) and will boost dry bulk cargo operations in southern Tamil Nadu.

On the railway front, the Prime Minister will dedicate three crucial projects to the nation. These include the electrification of the 90 km Madurai–Bodinayakkanur line, the doubling of the 21 km Nagercoil Town–Kanniyakumari section (part of the Thiruvananthapuram–Kanniyakumari corridor), and the doubling of Aralvaymozhi–Nagercoil Junction (12.87 km) and Tirunelveli–Melappalayam (3.6 km) routes.

These projects, with a combined investment of over Rs 650 crore, will improve connectivity, enhance eco-friendly travel, and support economic growth in the southern districts.

To further strengthen the state’s energy infrastructure, PM Modi will lay the foundation stone for an Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) project to evacuate power from the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant Units 3 and 4 (2x1000 MW).

The Prime Minister will attend the Aadi Thiruvathirai festival at Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple in Tiruchirappalli, celebrating the birth anniversary of the great Chola emperor Rajendra Chola I.

(IANS)

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