From Arjun tank to Metro project: PM Modi to inaugurate 11 projects in Tamil Nadu, Kerala

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Sunday inaugurate and lay the foundation stones of several projects in poll-bound states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala and also hand over the Arjun Main Battle Tank (MK-1A) to the Indian Army.

A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has said these projects, including a Metro project in Chennai and a petrochemical complex in Kerala, will “add crucial momentum to the growth trajectory of these states and help hasten the pace for them to realise their full development potential.”

Here’s a look at the projects PM Modi will inaugurate:

1. The Prime Minister will inaugurate the Chennai Metro Rail Phase-I extension, completed at a cost of ₹3,770 crore, and commission the passenger services from Washermenpet to Wimco Nagar. This 9.05km long extension will link north Chennai with the airport and Central Railway Station.

2. He will inaugurate the fourth railway line between Chennai Beach and Attipattu. This 22.1km section, which was laid at a cost of ₹293.40 crore, traverses through Chennai and Thiruvallur districts and will ease out traffic from Chennai Port. This section connects the Chennai and Ennore ports and passes through major yards, providing operational flexibility for the movement of trains.

3. The railway electrification of single line section in Villupuram-Cuddalore-Mayiladuthurai-Thanjavur and Mayiladuthurai-Thiruvarur will also be inaugurated by PM Modi. The electrification of this 228km route will enable free flow of traffic without the need for a change of traction between Chennai Egmore and Kanyakumari and would result in saving of Rs.14.61 lakh per day on fuel cost. It was completed at a cost of  ₹423 crore.

4. The Prime Minister will also hand over the state-of-the-art Arjun Main Battle Tank (MK-1A) to the army. The Arjun battle tank has been indigenously designed, developed and manufactured by CVRDE, DRDO along with 15 academic institutions, eight labs and several MSMEs.

5. He will lay the foundation stone for the extension, renovation and modernisation of the Grand Anicut Canal System. The canal is important for irrigation in the delta districts. The modernization of this canal will be taken up at a cost of Rs.2,640 crore, and will lead to an improvement in the water carrying capacity of the canals.

6. Prime Minister Modi will also lay the foundation stone for the Discovery Campus of IIT Madras. The campus will be built at Thaiyur near Chennai at an estimated cost of ₹1000 crore in the first phase, over an area of 2 lakh sqm.

7. The Prime Minister will dedicate to the nation the Propylene Derivative Petrochemical Project (PDPP) of BPCL. The complex will produce acrylates, acrylic acid and oxo-alcohol, which are at present predominantly imported, and is expected to result in saving of about ₹3,700 to ₹4,000 crore per annum in foreign exchange. “Constructed at a capital cost of about ₹6000 crore, the PDPP complex has been set up close to the refinery to achieve integration of feedstock supply, utilities, off-sites and other facilities. It will benefit the downstream sector in saving huge costs as a result of the ready availability of feedstock and optimised supply chain management. With the commissioning, Kochi refinery has become the first Indian refinery to produce niche petrochemicals,” the PMO has said.

8. The Prime Minister will also dedicate to the nation the Roll-on/Roll-off (Ro-Ro) vessels at Willingdon Islands in Cochin. The International Waterway Authority of India will deploy two new vessels between Bolgatty and Willingdon Island on National Waterway-3. The Ro-Ro vessels, MV Adi Shankara and MV CV Raman, will have the capacity to carry six 20-feet trucks, three 20-feet trailer trucks, three 40-feet trailer trucks and 30 passengers each. “The service will benefit trade as a result of reduced transportation cost and transit time, and will also lead to reduced congestion on the roads of Kochi,” the PMO has said.

9. PM Modi will inaugurate the International Cruise Terminal “Sagarika” at Cochin Port. Sagarika, which is situated at the Ernakulam Wharf on Willingdon Island, is India’s first full-fledged international cruise terminal. It has state-of-the-art facilities and has been constructed at a cost of ₹25.72 crore. “It will promote tourism, give a fillip to development and will act as an effective instrument for employment generation, earning revenue and foreign exchange,” the PMO has said.

10. PM Modi will also inaugurate the Marine Engineering Training Institute, Vigyana Sagar, Cochin Shipyard Ltd. It is a premier Maritime Learning Centre and is the only maritime institute in India functioning within a shipyard, having extended training facilities for trainees on various vessels under construction or repair. “Constructed at a capital cost of ₹27.5 crore, the institute has an intake capacity of 114 fresh graduates. It will create a talent pool of marine engineers and personnel to fulfill the requirement of the Maritime industry in India and abroad,” the PMO said.

11. The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone of reconstruction of South Coal Berth at Cochin Port. “It is being reconstructed at an estimated cost of ₹19.19 crore under the Sagarmala Scheme. Upon completion, a dedicated berthing facility will be available for chemical handling at Cochin Port. Reconstruction of the berth will ensure quick and efficient handling of cargo and reduced logistics cost,” according to the PMO.