Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated, laid the foundation stone, and dedicated development projects worth over Rs 49 billion during a public event in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu. The projects span key sectors, including airports, highways, railways, ports, and power, and aim to enhance infrastructure, connectivity, and clean energy capacity in the southern region.

A major highlight was the inauguration of the new terminal building at Tuticorin Airport, constructed at a cost of Rs 4.5 billion. Spread across 17,340 square metres, the terminal is designed to handle 1,350 passengers during peak hours and up to 2 million annually, with future capacity of 2.5 million. Featuring 100 per cent LED lighting, energy-efficient systems, and water reuse technologies, the terminal targets a GRIHA-4 sustainability rating. This facility is expected to boost tourism, trade, and regional investment.

In road infrastructure, Modi inaugurated two significant highway projects. The first involves four-laning the 50 km Sethiyathope–Cholapuram stretch of NH-36, developed at over Rs 23.5 billion. This stretch includes three bypasses, a 1-km bridge over the Kollidam River, four major bridges, seven flyovers, and multiple underpasses. It will reduce travel time by 45 minutes and improve access to Delta region hubs.

The second project, a six-lane upgrade of the 5.16 km NH-138 Tuticorin Port Road, was built at around Rs 2 billion. It includes underpasses and bridges to streamline cargo movement and support port-led industrial growth around V.O. Chidambaranar Port.

Port infrastructure saw a further boost with the inauguration of North Cargo Berth-III at the same port. Developed at a cost of Rs 2.85 billion, it has a cargo handling capacity of 6.96 million metric tonnes per annum.

In railways, Modi dedicated three projects to strengthen connectivity in southern Tamil Nadu. These include the electrification of the 90 km Madurai–Bodinayakkanur line, the Rs 6.5 billion doubling of the 21 km Nagercoil Town–Kanniyakumari section, and doubling of two more sections—Aralvaymozhi–Nagercoil Junction (12.87 km) and Tirunelveli–Melappalayam (3.6 km). These efforts will cut travel times, improve freight capacity, and promote tourism and regional economic integration.

In the energy sector, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for a key transmission project linked to Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant Units 3 and 4 (2x1000 MW). At a cost of approximately Rs 5.5 billion, this inter-state transmission system will feature a 400 kV double-circuit line from Kudankulam to the Tuticorin-II GIS substation. The system will strengthen the national grid, enhance clean energy distribution, and meet growing power demands in Tamil Nadu and neighbouring states.