Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated projects worth over ₹4,900 crore in Tamil Nadu. The projects are related to airport, highways, railways, port and power in Tamil Nadu. New state-of-the-art terminal building with a built-up area of 17,000 square meters is also the project that was inaugurated by the prime minister.
Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Thangam Thenarasu, Social Welfare Minister P Geetha Jeevan, Lok Sabha MP Kanimozhi and senior officials participated in the programme.
Before reaching there, PM Modi penned in an X post, "Today evening and tomorrow, I will be gracing different programs in Tamil Nadu. I will be arriving at Thoothukudi shortly, where a chain of crucial infrastructure projects will be being dedicated to the nation. This includes the new terminal building of the airport at Thoothukudi, which will be a game-changer for trade and connectivity in the southern region of Tamil Nadu specifically."
"Other projects being opened include 4-laning of 50 km Sethiyathope-Cholapuram section of NH-36 and 6-laning of 5.16 km NH-138 Tuticorin Port Road," the post furthered on X.
The New Terminal Building at the Tuticorin Airport was also inaugurated by the Prime Minister, which was built at a cost of around ₹450 crore with the aim of addressing the increasing aviation needs of the southern region. The Prime Minister will also perform a walkthrough of Tuticorin Airport's new terminal building.
Spreading over 17,340 square meters, the terminal will have the capacity to service 1,350 passengers in peak hours and 20 lakh passengers per annum, with future augmentation capacity for up to 1,800 peak-hour passengers and 25 lakh passengers per annum.
With 100 per cent LED lighting, energy-efficient electrical and mechanical (E&M) systems, and reuse of treated water through an on-site Sewage Treatment Plant, the terminal has been constructed with a GRIHA-4 sustainability rating in mind. This new infrastructure is likely to highly develop regional air connectivity and boost tourism, trade, and investment in southern Tamil Nadu.
In the road infrastructure, Prime Minister will be inaugurating into the nation two strategically important highway projects. First is the 4-laning of the 50 km Sethiyathope-Cholapuram NH-36 stretch, constructed at over ₹2,350 crore under Vikravandi-Thanjavur corridor.
The second project is the 6-laning of the 5.16 km NH-138 Tuticorin Port Road, constructed at approximately ? 200 crore. With underpasses and bridges, it will facilitate cargo movement, reduce logistics expenses, and facilitate port-led industrial development in the vicinity of V.O.
In a significant fillip to enhance port infrastructure and green energy efforts, Prime Minister will be inaugurating North Cargo Berth-III with a cargo handling capacity of 6.96 MMTPA at V.O. Chidambaranar Port costing approximately ₹285 crore. This would enable enhanced meeting of the increasing demand of dry bulk cargo handling requirements in the region, improving overall port efficiency and maximising cargo handling logistics.
Prime Minister will inaugurate three major railway infrastructure works in southern Tamil Nadu to enhance efficient and sustainable connectivity. The electrification of the 90 km Madurai-Bodinayakkanur track will enhance green transport and facilitate tourism and commuter traffic in Madurai and Theni. The ₹650 crore doubling of the 21 km Nagercoil Town-Kanniyakumari section of the Thiruvananthapuram-Kanniyakumari project will enhance connectivity between Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
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Also, doubling of Aralvaymozhi-Nagercoil Junction (12.87km) and Tirunelveli-Melappalayam (3.6 km) sections will decrease travel time on prominent southern corridors such as Chennai-Kanyakumari and further increase regional economic integration through improved passenger and freight capacity. Further building the strength of state power infrastructure Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for a key power transmission project — the Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) for evacuation of power from Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant Units 3 and 4 (2x1000 MW).
Prime Minister Modi will launch a special commemorative coin in memory of one of India's greatest emperors, Rajendra Chola I, marking Aadi Thiruvathirai Festival at a public function at Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple. This unique festival also marks the 1,000th anniversary of the mythological sea-borne expedition of Rajendra Chola I to South East Asia and the laying of the foundation stone of the magnificent Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple, a fine specimen of Chola architecture. Rajendra Chola I (1014-1044 CE) was one of the greatest and most visionary kings of Indian history. During his reign, the Chola Empire extended its influence from South to Southeast Asia.
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