PM Modi: ₹13,000 Cr Projects Launched, ₹4,900 Cr Metro Section Flagged Off
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Chennai on Sunday, October 11, 2026, to inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for transformative infrastructure, education, and connectivity projects valued at over ₹13,000 crore across Tamil Nadu. The high-profile prime ministerial visit marks a major capital push by the central government to modernize urban mass transit, widen national freight arteries, expand maritime port capacities, and bolster cutting-edge neuroscience research in southern India. Confirming the broad-based rollout in a statement on social media platform X, the Prime Minister highlighted that the capital investments are engineered to accelerate regional commerce and improve citizen ease of living. In addition to administrative engagements, the Prime Minister's itinerary includes offering prayers at the historic Jalakandeswarar Temple, seamlessly integrating cultural heritage with state-wide infrastructure expansion.
₹4,900 Crore Chennai Metro Stretch Flagged Off and IIT Madras Brain Centre Unveiled
A primary highlight of the visit is the formal dedication of the Poonamallee–Vadapalani corridor under Phase 2 of the Chennai Metro Rail Project, completed at an estimated investment of ₹4,900 crore to decongest rapid-transit traffic across western Chennai. Marking the operational opening of the line, the Prime Minister undertook a commemorative metro train ride between Porur Bypass Station and Poonamallee Bypass Station. In the academic and technology spheres, PM Modi inaugurated the state-of-the-art Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, positioning the premier institute at the global frontier of high-resolution brain imaging and neuro-computational research. The Prime Minister also participated in the Golden Jubilee milestone celebrations of Jaigopal Garodia Hindu Vidyalaya Matriculation Higher Secondary School, interacting with educators and students.
Highway Corridors, Port Expansion, and Rail Upgrades Boost Tamil Nadu Infrastructure
Expanding Tamil Nadu’s inter-district logistics framework, the infrastructure package includes National Highway undertakings totaling approximately ₹3,700 crore. These road projects feature the comprehensive four-laning of the 36-kilometer Vadugapatti–Terkuvengallur corridor along NH-744, the development of the 30-kilometer Madurai Ring Road stretch, and the laying of the foundation stone for the long-awaited Thiruvarur bypass. To mitigate urban vehicular gridlocks in the state's textile and engineering core, foundation stones were laid for multiple grade separators and flyovers across Coimbatore and neighboring industrial belts. Furthermore, the initiative allocates dedicated resources toward expanding commercial port-linked logistics infrastructure along Tamil Nadu’s coastline and inaugurates strategic railway capacity works valued at over ₹750 crore, creating an integrated multimodal network to power industrial growth across the state.
