Big Infra Boost for TN as Modi Unveils ₹4,400 Cr Plan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated and laid foundation stones for infrastructure projects worth over ₹4,400 crore in Madurai, calling the initiatives a “proud chapter” in Tamil Nadu’s development journey. Addressing a public gathering in the temple city, he said the projects would enhance connectivity, generate employment and strengthen the state’s economic growth.

Among the major announcements were the four-laning of the Marakkanam–Puducherry stretch of NH-332A and the Paramakudi–Ramanathapuram section of NH-87. The ₹2,100 crore Marakkanam–Puducherry project is expected to reduce travel time by nearly 50 per cent and ease congestion in urban Puducherry. The corridor will improve access to key destinations such as Mamallapuram, Kalpakkam Atomic Power Station and Auroville, while boosting connectivity for coastal communities.

The ₹1,800 crore Paramakudi–Ramanathapuram project will enhance access to pilgrimage centres including Madurai, Rameswaram and Dhanushkodi, cutting travel time by around 40 per cent. It will also strengthen multi-modal connectivity through key railway stations, airports and ports.

Under the PM Gati Shakti framework, the corridors will integrate fishing clusters, a Special Economic Zone and industrial hubs to promote trade and socio-economic development.

In the rail sector, the Prime Minister inaugurated eight redeveloped stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme and dedicated the Chennai Beach–Chennai Egmore fourth railway line to improve suburban rail operations. He highlighted that Tamil Nadu’s railway allocation has increased nearly nine-fold since 2014, with over 1,300 km of new tracks laid and 97 per cent electrification achieved.

He also noted the new Pamban Bridge as a symbol of engineering excellence and reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to a “developed Tamil Nadu for a developed India.”