Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Chennai on October 11 to inaugurate, dedicate to the nation and lay the foundation stones for development projects worth more than ₹13,000 crore across Tamil Nadu. The projects span metro rail, highways, railway infrastructure, ports, petroleum and scientific research, with a focus on strengthening transport connectivity and expanding industrial and logistics capabilities.
A major highlight of the visit will be the inauguration of the Poonamallee–Vadapalani stretch of Phase II of the Chennai Metro Rail project, developed at an investment of approximately ₹4,900 crore. The corridor includes a 3.7-km double-decker structure and advanced signalling systems designed to support driverless train operations. The new section is expected to improve connectivity between Chennai’s western suburbs and the city centre while reducing travel time for commuters.
The Prime Minister will also inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for National Highway projects worth around ₹3,700 crore. These include the 36-km, four-lane Vadugapatti–Therkuvenganallur section of NH-744 and the 30-km, four-lane Madurai Ring Road section of NH-744A. Both projects are intended to improve regional connectivity and ease traffic congestion. The foundation stone will also be laid for a four-lane bypass at Thiruvarur on the Nagapattinam–Thanjavur section of NH-83.
Railway infrastructure projects valued at more than ₹750 crore will be dedicated to the nation or inaugurated during the visit. These include the Karaikal–Peralam railway line and three rail flyovers in Coimbatore and nearby areas. The flyovers are expected to reduce congestion at busy level crossings, shorten waiting times and improve road safety. Five redeveloped stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme will also be inaugurated at Palani, Vellore Cantonment, Ambasamudram, Paramakkudi and Namakkal.
Port infrastructure is another major component of the programme. At Chennai Port, four facilities 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 and upgrade services for cruise passengers and maritime personnel.
At V.O. Chidambaranar Port, eight development projects will be inaugurated or launched to expand cargo and container-handling capacity, improve logistics efficiency and support the transition towards cleaner maritime energy. The Prime Minister will also inaugurate the Coal Berth-3 project at Kamarajar Port and lay the foundation stone for capital dredging works for Stage II of Phase I of its container terminal.
The petroleum sector will receive a further investment boost through the proposed Group II/III Lube Oil Base Stocks project at the Manali refinery of Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited. Estimated to cost approximately ₹1,620 crore, the facility will have a planned production capacity of 270,000 tonnes per annum. It is intended to manufacture base stocks used in premium-quality lubricants, supporting domestic production capabilities.
During the visit, Modi will also dedicate the Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre at IIT Madras to the nation. He will launch a scientific initiative to map more than 100 human brains into three-dimensional atlases at cellular resolution, covering different stages of life from the foetal stage to old age. The programme will also include the release of C-STROKE, a human ischaemic stroke atlas comprising more than 1,000 annotated microscopic sections from a stroke-affected brain, intended to support research into potential therapeutic targets.
The Prime Minister’s schedule also includes a ride on the Chennai Metro between Porur Bypass and Poonamallee Bypass stations, a visit to Jalakandeswarar Temple and participation in the golden jubilee celebrations of Jaigopal Garodia Hindu Vidyalaya Matriculation Higher Secondary School. The infrastructure programme brings together investments in urban mobility, highways, railways, ports and petroleum facilities alongside initiatives in scientific research.