New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for multiple development projects worth over Rs 4,400 crore in Madurai.
Addressing a gathering in the temple city, the PM described the occasion as an important milestone in Tamil Nadu’s development journey. He said these projects aim to improve connectivity, boost the economy, generate significant job opportunities for the youth, and positively impact lakhs of people across the State.
He stressed that quality infrastructure ultimately empowers citizens by improving market access for farmers, easing travel for pilgrims and tourists, and ensuring faster transport for businesses, according to an official statement.
Modi noted that more than 4,000 kilometres of highways have been constructed in Tamil Nadu since 2014. He laid the foundation stone for two key national highway projects.
The four-laning of the Marakkanam–Puducherry section will be developed at a cost of over Rs 2,100 crore to boost coastal tourism and trade. The Paramakudi–Ramanathapuram stretch will be four-laned with an investment of more than Rs 1,800 crore. This project is expected to improve connectivity to Rameshwaram and Dhanushkodi and facilitate smoother transport of agricultural and marine products.
The PM further said Indian Railways has witnessed a significant transformation over the past decade. He highlighted that Tamil Nadu’s railway budget allocation has increased nearly ninefold under the current government.
Modi also inaugurated new FM relay transmitters of Akashvani in Kumbakonam, Yercaud, and Vellore.
He stated that infrastructure funding for Tamil Nadu has tripled compared to the previous decade and that the 2026 Union Budget continues this focus. Proposals for the Bengaluru–Chennai and Chennai–Hyderabad bullet train corridors were highlighted as transformative for the regional economy.
Modi added that Tamil Nadu has been positioned within the Rare Earth Corridors to promote advanced manufacturing, research, and technology development.
He further announced plans to develop historic sites such as Adichanallur into global heritage destinations. Ecotourism initiatives around Lake Pulicat and Podhigai Malai are expected to create jobs while preserving ecosystems.
