Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate, dedicate to the nation and lay the foundation stone for development projects worth more than ₹13,000 crore in Chennai on October 11, with investments spanning metro rail, highways, railways, ports, petroleum infrastructure and scientific research.
The projects include the inauguration of a section of Chennai Metro Rail Phase II, national highway developments worth around ₹3,700 crore, railway infrastructure projects worth over ₹750 crore and port modernisation initiatives across Chennai, Kamarajar and V.O. Chidambaranar ports.
The visit will also see the foundation stone laid for a ₹1,620 crore lube oil base stocks project at Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited’s (CPCL) Manali refinery and the dedication of the Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras.
The infrastructure announcements are expected to improve urban mobility, road and rail connectivity, cargo-handling capacity and industrial infrastructure across Tamil Nadu.
Chennai Metro Phase II stretch to be inaugurated
The Prime Minister will inaugurate the Poonamallee-Vadapalani stretch of Phase II of the Chennai Metro Rail project, built at a cost of around ₹4,900 crore.
The corridor features a 3.7-km double-decker structure and advanced signalling systems designed to support driverless train operations. The new stretch is expected to reduce commuting time and improve connectivity between Chennai’s rapidly growing western suburbs and the city centre.
Modi will undertake a ride on the Chennai Metro between Porur Bypass and Poonamallee Bypass stations before the inauguration.
The expansion is part of Chennai’s broader effort to strengthen public transport infrastructure as urban growth increases pressure on roads and existing transport networks.
Highway projects worth ₹3,700 crore
National highway projects worth around ₹3,700 crore will be inaugurated or taken up for construction, with the objective of easing congestion, reducing travel time and improving the movement of people and goods.
The projects include the inauguration of a 36-km, four-lane stretch between Vadugapatti and Therkuvenganallur on NH-744. The road is expected to improve access to pilgrimage centres, industrial locations and commercial hubs in the region.
A 30-km, four-lane section of the Madurai Ring Road on NH-744A will also be inaugurated. The project is intended to improve traffic movement around Madurai and reduce congestion within the city.
The Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for a four-lane bypass at Thiruvarur on the Nagapattinam-Thanjavur section of NH-83. The bypass will provide an alternative route for through-traffic, helping ease congestion in the town.
Improved highway connectivity could support regional trade and logistics by reducing delays in the movement of industrial goods and agricultural produce.
Railway projects strengthen regional connectivity
Railway infrastructure projects worth more than ₹750 crore will be dedicated to the nation or inaugurated during the visit.
The projects include the Karaikal-Peralam railway line and three rail flyovers in Coimbatore and surrounding areas. The flyovers are expected to ease congestion at busy level crossings, reduce waiting times and improve road safety.
Five redeveloped railway stations at Palani, Vellore Cantonment, Ambasamudram, Paramakkudi and Namakkal will also be inaugurated under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.
The improvements are intended to modernise passenger facilities and strengthen rail connectivity across different parts of Tamil Nadu.
Port investments target cargo capacity and logistics efficiency
Maritime infrastructure is another major component of the development programme, with projects planned across Chennai Port, Kamarajar Port and V.O. Chidambaranar Port.
At Chennai Port, four projects will be inaugurated: a paved storage yard, four export-import godowns, an upgraded cruise terminal and a Seafarers Club.
The facilities are expected to improve cargo storage and handling, expand warehousing capacity, upgrade cruise passenger infrastructure and provide better welfare and recreational facilities for seafarers and maritime personnel.
At V.O. Chidambaranar Port, the Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for eight development projects. These initiatives are aimed at expanding cargo and container-handling capacity, developing infrastructure to support cleaner maritime energy and improving cargo evacuation and logistics efficiency.
At Kamarajar Port, Modi will inaugurate the Coal Berth-3 project and lay the foundation stone for capital dredging works for Stage II of Phase I of the container terminal.
The investments are intended to strengthen Tamil Nadu’s maritime infrastructure and improve the efficiency of cargo movement through the state’s ports. Better port facilities could also support industrial activity by improving the handling of imports and exports and reducing logistics bottlenecks.
CPCL to set up ₹1,620 crore lube oil base stocks project
The Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for a Group II/III Lube Oil Base Stocks (LOBS) project at the existing Manali refinery of CPCL in Chennai.
The project entails an investment of around ₹1,620 crore and will have a production capacity of 270,000 tonnes per annum.
It aims to manufacture Group II and Group III base stocks, which are used in the production of premium-quality lubricants.
The project could strengthen domestic manufacturing capabilities in higher-quality lubricant inputs and support India’s efforts to expand the availability of advanced petroleum products.
IIT Madras Brain Centre to advance neuroscience research
The visit will also feature the dedication of the Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre at IIT Madras to the nation.
The centre will launch a global scientific mission to map more than 100 human brains into three-dimensional atlases at cellular resolution, covering different stages of human life, from the foetal stage to old age.
The Prime Minister will also release C-STROKE, a human ischaemic stroke atlas containing more than 1,000 annotated microscopic sections from a stroke-affected brain.
The atlas is expected to help researchers worldwide study stroke-related changes in brain tissue and identify potential therapeutic targets.
The initiative adds a scientific research component to the infrastructure-focused programme, with the potential to contribute to advanced neuroscience research and the development of new approaches to understanding brain disorders.