PM Modi to unveil over ₹4,800 crore worth of development projects in Tamil Nadu

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to launch a series of development projects worth more than ₹4,800 crore during his visit to Tamil Nadu later this week.

Following his return from official visits to the UK and Maldives, the Prime Minister will arrive in Tuticorin on July 26, where he will inaugurate and dedicate multiple infrastructure initiatives aimed at enhancing connectivity, promoting clean energy, and improving regional logistics.

A key highlight of the visit includes the inauguration of the New Terminal Building at Tuticorin Airport, constructed at a cost of ₹450 crore.

Spanning 17,340 square meters, the terminal can accommodate 1,350 passengers during peak hours and up to 20 lakh passengers annually, with scalability for future growth. The facility boasts 100% LED lighting, energy-efficient systems, and a sewage treatment plant, targeting a GRIHA-4 sustainability rating.

The airport upgrade is expected to bolster tourism and economic activity in southern Tamil Nadu.

The Prime Minister will also dedicate two major highway projects.

The first involves the 4-laning of the Sethiyathope–Cholapuram stretch of NH-36, a ₹2,350 crore project that includes three bypasses, a 1-km bridge over the Kollidam River, seven flyovers, and several underpasses. This project is expected to cut travel time by 45 minutes and improve connectivity in the agriculturally and culturally significant Delta region.

The second highway initiative is the 6-laning of a 5.16-km stretch of NH-138, which connects to Tuticorin Port. Built at a cost of around ₹200 crore, this project will streamline cargo movement and support industrial growth around the V.O. Chidambaranar Port.

At the port itself, the Prime Minister will inaugurate North Cargo Berth-III, with a cargo handling capacity of 6.96 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA), developed at a cost of ₹285 crore. This addition is aimed at enhancing the region’s capacity to handle dry bulk cargo efficiently.

In the railways sector, Modi will dedicate three critical infrastructure projects.

These include the electrification of the 90-km Madurai–Bodinayakkanur line, the ₹650 crore doubling of the 21-km Nagercoil Town–Kanniyakumari section, and doubling works on the Aralvaymozhi–Nagercoil Junction (12.87 km) and Tirunelveli–Melappalayam (3.6 km) routes. These upgrades aim to improve travel times, enhance freight capacity, and facilitate eco-friendly transport across southern Tamil Nadu.

Additionally, the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for a ₹550 crore Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) project to evacuate power from the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (Units 3 & 4). The project includes a 400 kV double-circuit transmission line linking Kudankulam to the Tuticorin-II GIS substation, ensuring stable and clean energy distribution across Tamil Nadu and beyond.

On July 27, PM Modi will participate in celebrations marking the birth anniversary of Rajendra Chola I, one of India’s most influential rulers, at the historic Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple in Tiruchirappalli. Coinciding with the Aadi Thiruvathirai Festival, the event will also commemorate the 1,000th anniversary of Rajendra Chola's Southeast Asian naval expedition and the temple’s construction.

During the event, the Prime Minister will release a commemorative coin in honour of the Chola emperor. The Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, remains a testament to Chola architecture and administrative brilliance.

The Aadi Thiruvathirai festival also pays homage to Tamil Shaiva traditions and the saint-poets known as the 63 Nayanmars, with Rajendra Chola's birth star, Thiruvathirai (Ardra), lending additional cultural significance to this year's celebration.