The official statement from the Prime Minister’s Office announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting Tamil Nadu, Lakshadweep, and Kerala on January 2-3.
During his visit to Tamil Nadu, Prime Minister Modi will be attending the 38th Convocation Ceremony of Bharathidasan University in Tiruchirappalli, where he will be the Chief Guest. In Tiruchirappalli, the Prime Minister will also be inaugurating and dedicating several development projects worth over Rs 19,850 crore.
These projects are related to aviation, rail, road, oil and gas, shipping, and higher education sectors. One of the highlights of the visit is the inauguration of the new terminal building at Tiruchirappalli International Airport, which has been developed at a cost of over Rs 1100 crore.
The new terminal has state-of-the-art amenities and features to enhance passenger convenience and has the capacity to serve more than 44 lakh passengers annually.
Additionally, Prime Minister Modi will be dedicating multiple railway projects to the nation during his visit. These projects include the doubling of the Salem-Magnesite Junction-Omalur-Mettur Dam section, the doubling of the rail line section from Madurai to Tuticorin, and the electrification of rail lines in Tiruchchirappalli-Manamadurai-Virudhunagar, Virudhunagar-Tenkasi Junction, and Sengottai-Tenkasi Junction-Tirunelveli-Tiruchendur.
These railway projects will not only improve the rail capacity for freight and passengers but also contribute to the economic development and employment generation in Tamil Nadu.
Prime Minister is set to inaugurate five road sector projects in the region. These projects include a 39 km four-lane road for the Trichy – Kallagam section of NH-81, a 60 km long 4/2-laning of the Kallagam – Meensurutti section of NH-81, a 29 km four-lane road for the Chettikulam – Natham section of NH-785, an 80 km long two-lane road with paved shoulder for the Karaikudi – Ramanathapuram section of NH-536, and a 44 km long four-laning of a section of NH-179A Salem – Tirupathur – Vaniyambadi Road.
These road projects aim to enhance the safety and efficiency of travel for the people in the region. They will also improve connectivity to important industrial and commercial centers such as Trichy, Srirangam, Chidambaram, Rameshwaram, Dhanushkodi, Uthirakosamangai, Devipattinam, Erwadi, and Madurai, among others, according to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
In addition, the Prime Minister will inaugurate the General Cargo Berth-II (Automobile Export/Import Terminal-II & Capital Dredging Phase-V) of Kamarajar Port. This development is expected to strengthen the country’s trade, boost economic growth, and generate employment opportunities, as stated by the PMO.
Furthermore, the Prime Minister will dedicate the Demonstration Fast Reactor Fuel Reprocessing Plant (DFRP) at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), Kalpakkam.
The DFRP, which was developed at a cost of Rs 400 crore, features a unique design that can reprocess both carbide and oxide fuels discharged from fast reactors. It is a significant milestone towards the establishment of large commercial-scale fast reactor fuel reprocessing plants. The DFRP is entirely designed by Indian scientists, according to an official statement from the PMO.
Later, at approximately 3:15 PM, the Prime Minister is scheduled to arrive in Agatti, Lakshadweep, where he will deliver a speech at a public event. The Prime Minister’s Office has announced that on January 3, 2024, around 12 Noon, PM Modi will reach Kavaratti, Lakshadweep.
During his visit, he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for various development projects in Lakshadweep, including those related to telecommunications, drinking water, solar power, and health. The PMO has stated that the Prime Minister is determined to address the issue of slow internet speed in Lakshadweep.
To achieve this, he initiated the Kochi-Lakshadweep Islands Submarine Optical Fiber Connection (KLI – SOFC) project, which was announced during his Independence Day speech in August 2020 at Red Fort. The project has now been completed and will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister. This initiative will significantly enhance internet speed, increasing it by more than 100 times, from 1.7 Gbps to 200 Gbps. It will also mark the first-ever connection of Lakshadweep through a Submarine Optic Fibre Cable.
Furthermore, the Prime Minister will dedicate the Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) plant at Kadmat to the nation. This plant will produce 1.5 lakh litres of clean drinking water every day.
Additionally, the Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC) in all households of Agatti and Minicoy islands will also be dedicated to the nation. Among the other projects to be dedicated to the nation is the solar power plant at Kavaratti, which is the first battery-backed solar power project in Lakshadweep. This project will help reduce dependency on diesel-based power generation.
Additionally, the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for the renovation of the Primary Health Care facility in Kalpeni and the construction of five model Anganwadi Centres (Nand Ghars) in the islands of Androth, Chetlat, Kadmat, Agatti, and Minicoy.
Furthermore, the new administrative block and 80 Men barrack in the India Reserve Battalion (IRBn) Complex at Kavaratti will also be inaugurated. These initiatives reflect the Prime Minister’s commitment to the development and progress of Lakshadweep, addressing various sectors and improving the lives of its residents.
Overall, Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Tamil Nadu, Lakshadweep, and Kerala aims to inaugurate and dedicate various development projects that will have a significant impact on the region’s infrastructure and economy.