Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate a key stretch of Chennai Metro Rail Phase II on Sunday as part of a Tamil Nadu programme involving development projects worth more than Rs 13,000 crore across urban transport, highways, railways, ports and petroleum infrastructure, according to DT Next.
Modi is expected to undertake a Metro ride from Porur Bypass to Poonamallee Bypass and back at around 11.30 am. The programme will include the inauguration of the Poonamallee–Vadapalani Metro stretch, followed by the launch of other projects at an event scheduled for around 1.30 pm.
The Metro stretch has been built at an estimated cost of Rs 4,900 crore. It includes a 3.7-km double-decker structure and advanced signalling systems designed to support driverless operations. The corridor is expected to improve connectivity between Chennai’s western suburbs and the city centre and reduce travel time for commuters.
The project is part of Chennai Metro Rail Phase II, which is intended to expand high-capacity public transport beyond the city’s existing network. The Poonamallee–Vadapalani section is particularly significant for western Chennai, where expanding residential areas, industrial activity and daily commuting demand have increased pressure on road-based transport. The report does not provide an operational opening date or details of the services that will begin on the stretch.
The Prime Minister’s programme also includes the inauguration and foundation stone laying for National Highway projects valued at around Rs 3,700 crore. These works include the four-laning of the Vadugapatti–Therkuvenganallur section of NH-744, the Madurai Ring Road section of NH-744A and a proposed four-lane bypass at Tiruvarur on NH-83.
Railway projects worth more than Rs 750 crore are also scheduled to be dedicated to the nation. They include the Karaikal–Peralam railway line, three rail flyovers in and around Coimbatore, and the redevelopment of Amrit stations at Palani, Vellore Cantonment, Ambasamudram, Paramakudi and Namakkal.
Port infrastructure forms another part of the announced package. Projects at Chennai Port, V O Chidambaranar Port and Kamarajar Port are aimed at expanding cargo-handling capacity and improving logistics. At Chennai Port, the listed works include a paved storage yard, four export-import godowns, an upgraded cruise terminal and a seafarers’ club.
In Chennai’s industrial belt, the Prime Minister is scheduled to lay the foundation stone for a Rs 1,620-crore Group II/III lube oil base stocks project at Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited’s Manali refinery. The facility is planned to have an annual production capacity of 270,000 tonnes.
The visit also includes the dedication of the Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre at IIT Madras and the launch of a global mission to map more than 100 human brains at cellular resolution across the lifespan. A stroke-brain atlas, C-STROKE, containing more than 1,000 annotated microscopic sections, is also scheduled to be released.
After the project launches, Modi is expected to attend the golden jubilee celebrations of Jaigopal Garodia Hindu Vidyalaya Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Chennai at around 3 pm and address the gathering. The announced infrastructure milestones will depend on the subsequent commissioning, construction and implementation schedules of the respective agencies.
