PM Modi will visit Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on March 1, during which he will inaugurate, dedicate to the nation and lay foundation stones for development projects worth more than Rs 7,100 crore, the Prime Minister’s Office said on Thursday.
After concluding visits to Rajasthan and Gujarat, PM Modi will arrive in Chennai on the night of Feb. 28 at around 9 p.m. His programme on March 1 will begin in Puducherry at about 11:45 a.m., where he will unveil projects worth over Rs 2,700 crore and address a public gathering.
The projects in Puducherry are aimed at strengthening infrastructure, urban services, industrial development, education, healthcare and sustainable growth. These include the launch of electric buses under the PM e-Bus Seva Initiative, an Integrated Command and Control Centre under the Smart City Mission, housing for Economically Weaker Sections under the CITIIS initiative, and major sewerage and water supply works undertaken by the Puducherry government.
PM Modi will also inaugurate key education and healthcare facilities, including the Composite Engineering Block–Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Block and Ganga Hostel at the National Institute of Technology, Karaikal; the modernised Regional Cancer Centre at JIPMER; and new annexe buildings, lecture halls and hostels at Pondicherry University.
In addition, he will dedicate to the nation the 750-acre Karasur–Sedarapet Industrial Estate, which will house a Pharma Park, Textile Park, IT Park, a research and development centre of IIT Madras and advanced healthcare facilities of JIPMER, a move expected to boost industrial growth and employment in the region.
PM Modi will lay the foundation stone for a range of projects, including drinking water supply schemes, construction of 41 rural roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, development of Puducherry as a Heritage Town, mangrove restoration under the MISHTI scheme, water supply and sanitation works, and power sector projects under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme. He will also lay foundation stones for projects covering urban roads, drainage networks, public buildings, student hostels and sports facilities under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment scheme, under which Puducherry has been included to enable capital asset creation.
Later in the day, PM Modi will travel to Madurai, where at around 3 p.m. he will inaugurate, dedicate to the nation and lay foundation stones for infrastructure projects worth over Rs 4,400 crore, followed by an address to the public. At around 4 p.m., he is scheduled to perform darshan and pooja at the Arulmigu Subramaniyaswamy Temple at Tirupparankundram.
The projects in Madurai include the laying of foundation stones for four-laning of the Marakkanam–Puducherry section of National Highway 332A and the Paramakudi–Ramanathapuram section of National Highway 87. The Marakkanam–Puducherry stretch is expected to nearly halve travel time, ease congestion in Puducherry and improve connectivity to key destinations such as Mamallapuram, Kalpakkam and Auroville, boosting tourism and economic activity. The Paramakudi–Ramanathapuram project is expected to cut travel time by about 40% and improve access to major religious centres including Madurai, Rameswaram and Dhanushkodi, while strengthening rail, road, air and port connectivity in line with the PM Gati Shakti framework.
PM Modi will also inaugurate and dedicate rail infrastructure projects in Tamil Nadu, including eight redeveloped railway stations—Morappur, Bommidi, Srivilliputtur, Sholavandan, Manaparai, Pollachi Junction, Karaikkudi Junction and Thiruvarur Junction—upgraded under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme with modern, passenger-centric amenities. He will further dedicate the Chennai Beach–Chennai Egmore fourth rail line, aimed at enhancing capacity and operational efficiency of the Chennai suburban rail network.
To strengthen public broadcasting services in the state, PM Modi will inaugurate three new Akashvani FM relay transmitters at Kumbakonam, Yercaud and Vellore, expanding coverage and ensuring uninterrupted FM services across multiple districts.
