Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for infrastructure projects totalling ₹4,900 crore during his visit to Tamil Nadu. These initiatives span across aviation, railways, highways, port development, and the power sector, aiming to bolster the state’s connectivity and economic growth.
One of the major highlights was the inauguration of the new terminal building at Thoothukudi Airport. Built at a cost of ₹450 crore, the terminal covers more than 17,000 square meters and includes supporting infrastructure like a new air traffic control (ATC) tower and a technical block. The runway has been extended from 1,350 meters to 3,115 meters to accommodate larger aircraft, significantly boosting capacity. The upgraded terminal can now handle 20 lakh passengers annually—six times more than before.
In the railways sector, several projects were launched to improve connectivity in southern Tamil Nadu. These include the electrification of the 90 km Madurai–Bodinayakkanur line at a cost of ₹99 crore and the doubling of rail lines in multiple stretches: 21 km between Nagercoil Town and Kanniyakumari (₹650 crore), 12.87 km from Aralvaymozhi to Nagercoil Junction, and 3.6 km from Tirunelveli to Melappalaiyam (₹283 crore combined).
The Prime Minister also dedicated two major highway projects to the nation. The first is the four-laning of the 50 km Sethiyathope–Cholapuram stretch of National Highway 36, developed at a cost of ₹2,350 crore. The second is the six-laning of the 5.16 km Tuticorin Port Road on NH-138, completed at ₹200 crore.
Additionally, the North Cargo Berth–III at V O Chidambaranar Port was inaugurated. This new port infrastructure, built at a cost of ₹285 crore, can handle up to 6.96 million metric tonnes of cargo annually, further strengthening maritime logistics in the region.
On behalf of the Tamil Nadu government, Finance Minister Thangam Thenarasu presented a special memento—a miniature replica of the Valluvar Kottam in Chennai—to the Prime Minister. Social Welfare Minister P. Geetha Jeevan, MP Kanimozhi, and senior government officials were also present during the ceremony.
