PM Modi inaugurates Chennai Metro Phase II stretch, unveils ₹13,000 crore Tamil Nadu development push

PM Modi inaugurates Chennai Metro Phase II (Image via The Hindu & Swarajya)

On Sunday, October 11, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a 15-km stretch of Chennai Metro Phase II between Poonamallee and Vadapalani in Tamil Nadu. The project, built at a cost of around Rs 4,900 crore, is expected to make daily travel easier and improve connectivity between Chennai’s western suburbs and the city centre.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar attended the inauguration. Modi and Vijay jointly flagged off the new Metro services. The Prime Minister also took a ride from Porur Bypass Station to Poonamallee Bypass Station and back, and briefly interacted with a ticket counter employee after purchasing a ticket.

The Metro inauguration is part of a larger development programme worth over Rs 13,000 crore, covering road and railway projects, port infrastructure, an oil refinery facility and scientific research.

Chennai Metro Phase II: 11 stations to improve connectivity

The newly inaugurated stretch is part of Corridor 4 of Chennai Metro Phase II. It has 11 elevated stations and includes a 3.7-km double-decker structure. The corridor is equipped with advanced signalling systems designed to support driverless operations.

The stations on the new stretch are Poonamallee Bypass, Poonamallee Bus Stand, Poonamallee Government Hospital, Karayanchavadi, Kumananchavadi, Kattupakkam, Iyappanthangal, Thelliyaragaram, Porur Bypass, Porur Junction and Vadapalani.

According to Chennai Metro Rail, passenger services will operate from 4 pm to 9 pm on Sunday. From October 12, the trains will run daily between 7 am and 9 pm in both directions. The last train will depart from Poonamallee Bypass and Vadapalani stations at 9 pm.

New highways and railway facilities

Road infrastructure projects worth around Rs 3,700 crore are among the key developments planned for Tamil Nadu. Modi will inaugurate the 36-km, four-laned Vadugapatti-Therkuvenganallur section of NH-744. The road is expected to improve access to pilgrimage sites, industrial areas and commercial centres, while supporting the movement of people and goods.

He will also inaugurate the 30-km, four-laned Madurai Ring Road section of NH-744A to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion in Madurai. The Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for the four-lane Thiruvarur Bypass on NH-83, providing an alternative route around the town.

Railway infrastructure projects worth over Rs 750 crore will also be part of the programme. These include the Karaikal-Peralam railway line and three rail flyovers in and around Coimbatore. The flyovers are expected to reduce waiting time at busy railway crossings and improve road safety.

Five railway stations Palani, Vellore Cantonment, Ambasamudram, Paramakkudi and Namakkal will also be inaugurated after redevelopment under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.

Port projects to boost cargo handling

The Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for several projects at Chennai Port, V.O. Chidambaranar Port and Kamarajar Port to improve cargo handling and logistics.

At Chennai Port, the projects include a paved storage yard, four export-import godowns, an upgraded cruise terminal and a Seafarers Club. These facilities will improve cargo storage, increase warehouse capacity, support cruise passenger movement and provide better facilities for seafarers.

At V.O. Chidambaranar Port, eight major projects will focus on increasing cargo and container capacity, supporting cleaner maritime energy and improving cargo movement. At Kamarajar Port, Modi will inaugurate the Coal Berth-3 project and lay the foundation stone for capital dredging works for Container Terminal Phase-I, Stage-II.

Rs 1,620 crore refinery project in Chennai

Modi will lay the foundation stone for a Group II/III Lube Oil Base Stocks project at Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited’s Manali refinery. The project will cost around Rs 1,620 crore and have a planned capacity of 270,000 tonnes per annum.

The facility aims to produce base stocks used in the manufacture of premium-quality lubricants in India.

IIT Madras to lead brain research initiative

The Prime Minister will dedicate the Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre at IIT Madras to the nation. He will also launch a scientific mission to map more than 100 human brains into three-dimensional atlases at cellular resolution, covering stages from foetal development to old age.

Modi will 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 identify new targets for treatment.

Earlier, the Prime Minister offered prayers at the Sri Jalakanteswara Swamy Temple in Tamil Nadu. He is also scheduled to attend the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Jaigopal Garodia Hindu Vidyalaya Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Chennai, marking 50 years of the institution’s contribution to education.

Written by OpIndia Staff
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