Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated, dedicated to the nation and laid the foundation stone of development projects worth more than Rs 20,000 crore in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu on January 2. The development projects include sectors such as rail, road, oil and gas, and shipping sectors in Tamil Nadu.
At a public programme in Tiruchirappalli, the PM inaugurated the New Terminal Building at Tiruchirappalli International Airport. Developed at a cost of more than Rs 1,100 crore, the two-level new international terminal building can serve more than 44 lakh passengers annually and about 3500 passengers during peak hours. The new terminal hosts state-of-the-art amenities and features for passenger convenience.
The PM dedicated to the nation multiple railway projects. These include the project for doubling of 41.4 Km Salem–Magnesite Junction–Omalur–Mettur Dam section; project for doubling of rail line section of 160 Km from Madurai – Tuticorin; and three projects for rail line electrification viz Tiruchchirappalli- Manamadurai- Virudhunagar; Virudhunagar – Tenkasi Junction; Sengottai – Tenkasi Junction – Tirunelveli- Tiruchendur. The rail projects will help improve the rail capacity to carry freight and passengers and contribute to economic development and employment generation in Tamil Nadu.
Modi dedicated to the nation five road sector projects. The projects include 39 km four-lane road for Trichy – Kallagam section of NH-81; 60 km long 4/2-laning of Kallagam – Meensurutti section of NH-81; 29 km four-lane road of Chettikulam – Natham section of NH-785; 80 km long two lane with paved shoulder of Karaikudi – Ramanathapuram section of NH-536; and 44 km long four laning of section of NH-179A Salem – Tirupathur – Vaniyambadi Road. The road projects will facilitate safe and faster travel of people of the region and improve connectivity of industrial and commercial centres like Trichy, Srirangam, Chidambaram, Rameshwaram, Dhanushkodi, Uthirakosamangai, Devipattinam, Erwadi, Madurai, among others.
The PM also laid the foundation stone for important road development projects during the programme. These include the construction of 31 km long stretch four-lane road from Mugaiyur to Marakkanam of NH 332A. The road will connect ports on the East Coast of Tamil Nadu, enhance road connectivity to the world heritage site – Mamallapuram and provide better connectivity to Kalpakkam Atomic Power Plant.
He dedicated to the nation the General Cargo Berth-II (Automobile Export/Import Terminal-II & Capital Dredging Phase-V) of Kamarajar Port. The inauguration of General Cargo Berth-II will be a step towards strengthening the country’s trade which will help boost economic growth and employment generation.
During the programme, the Prime Minister also dedicated to the nation and laid the foundation stone of important Petroleum and Natural Gas projects worth more than Rs 9000 crore. The two projects dedicated to the Nation include Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL)’s 488 km long natural gas pipeline from IP101 (Chengalpet) to IP 105 (Sayalkudi) section of Ennore – Thiruvallur – Bengaluru – Puducherry – Nagapattinam – Madurai – Tuticorin Pipeline; and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL)’s 697 km long Vijayawada-Dharmapuri Multiproduct (POL) Petroleum Pipeline (VDPL).
Further, the projects whose foundation stone were laid include the development of 323 Km of natural gas pipeline from Krishnagiri to Coimbatore section of Kochi-Koottanad-Bangalore-
Addressing the gathering, the PM wished a fruitful and prosperous new year to everyone and expressed delight that his first public program in 2024 is taking place in Tamil Nadu. He said that today’s projects will strengthen Tamil Nadu’s progress as he congratulated the people of the state for projects spanning sectors of roadways, railways, ports, airports, energy and petroleum pipelines. He said that many of these projects would boost travel and also create thousands of employment opportunities in the state.
The Prime Minister highlighted India's substantial investments over the past decade in various sectors such as roadways, railways, ports, airports, housing for the underprivileged, and healthcare. Emphasizing the government's focus on physical infrastructure, he proudly mentioned India's ascent to one of the top 5 global economies, becoming a beacon of hope for the world. Modi pointed out the significant influx of global investments benefiting Tamil Nadu, making the state a prominent ambassador for the Make in India initiative.
Discussing specific projects, the PM specifically referenced the new terminal building at Tiruchirappalli International Airport. This development, expected to triple capacity, will enhance connectivity to East Asia, the Middle East, and other global regions. Modi anticipated that the inauguration of the terminal would open doors for investments, businesses, education, health, and tourism. He also acknowledged improved airport connectivity to national highways through an elevated road, expressing satisfaction that Trichy Airport's infrastructure would showcase Tamil culture and heritage to the world.
Addressing railway initiatives, PM Modi emphasized their role in promoting industry and electricity generation. Additionally, he highlighted new road projects connecting key pilgrimage and tourism centers such as Srirangam, Chidambaram, Rameshwaram, and Vellore.
Touching upon the Sagarmala Yojna, the Prime Minister shared developments in connecting ports with better roads, leading to improved port capacity and reduced ship turnaround times. He specifically mentioned the doubling of capacity at Kamrajar Port and the inauguration of General Cargo Berth-II, strengthening Tamil Nadu's import-export activities, particularly in the automobile sector. Furthermore, Modi mentioned nuclear reactor and gas pipeline projects, foreseeing a positive impact on employment opportunities.
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