Immediately after his return from the UK and Maldives, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Tamil Nadu on July 26–27 to inaugurate development projects worth over ₹4800 crore and participate in the historic Aadi Thiruvathirai festival at Gangaikonda Cholapuram, celebrating the legacy of Rajendra Chola I.
Highlights:
- PM to lay foundation and dedicate infrastructure projects worth ₹4800+ crore in Tuticorin on July 26.
- Key inaugurations: Tuticorin Airport Terminal, major NH upgrades, port berth, and railway lines.
- Launch of clean energy transmission system from Kudankulam Nuclear Plant.
- Commemorative coin release for Rajendra Chola I during Aadi Thiruvathirai Festival on July 27.
- Event to mark 1000 years of Rajendra Chola’s maritime expedition and temple construction.
Tuticorin Visit (July 26, 2025):
Soon after concluding his international visits, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, on the evening of July 26 to inaugurate, dedicate, and lay the foundation for several key development projects worth more than ₹4800 crore.
In a major infrastructure push, PM Modi will inaugurate the New Terminal Building at Tuticorin Airport, developed at a cost of ₹450 crore. Covering 17,340 sq.m., it can accommodate 1,350 peak hour passengers and 20 lakh annually, with future scalability. Environmentally sustainable, the terminal uses 100% LED lighting and energy-efficient systems and is targeting a GRIHA-4 rating.
PM Modi will also dedicate two critical highway projects:
- Sethiyathope–Cholapuram NH-36 4-laning (50 km) – Developed at ₹2350+ crore, it includes major bridges and flyovers to reduce travel time by 45 minutes.
- NH-138 6-laning (5.16 km) near Tuticorin Port – Built at ₹200 crore, this road will enhance cargo movement and reduce logistics costs.
At V.O. Chidambaranar Port, he will inaugurate North Cargo Berth–III, built for ₹285 crore, with a cargo handling capacity of 6.96 MMTPA to meet increasing dry bulk cargo demand.
Further, three important rail infrastructure projects in southern Tamil Nadu will be dedicated:
- Electrification of the 90 km Madurai–Bodinayakkanur line.
- Doubling of Nagercoil Town–Kanniyakumari section (21 km) under the Thiruvananthapuram–Kanniyakumari project.
- Doubling of Aralvaymozhi–Nagercoil Junction (12.87 km) and Tirunelveli–Melappalayam (3.6 km) sections.
To boost clean energy distribution, the PM will also lay the foundation stone for an Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) from Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant Units 3 & 4, worth ₹550 crore. This 400 kV double-circuit line will ensure the reliable evacuation of nuclear power across Tamil Nadu and neighbouring states.
Tiruchirappalli Visit (July 27, 2025):
On July 27, PM Modi will attend the Aadi Thiruvathirai Festival at Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple in Tiruchirappalli, honouring the 1000th anniversary of Rajendra Chola I’s historic maritime expedition to Southeast Asia.
During the event, the Prime Minister will release a commemorative coin in honour of Rajendra Chola I (1014–1044 CE), a formidable Chola ruler who expanded Indian influence across Asia and established Gangaikonda Cholapuram as his imperial capital. The temple he built stands today as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its grand Chola architecture and Shaiva heritage.
The festival also pays homage to the Tamil Shaiva Bhakti tradition and celebrates Thiruvathirai, the emperor’s birth star, which commenced on July 23, making the celebration especially meaningful this year.
