PM Modi inaugurates projects worth ₹4,900 crore in Tamil Nadu
Since the Airports Authority of India wants to increase the number of passengers using Thoothukudi Airport to 20 lakh per annum in the next five to ten years and to increase Thoothukudi's air connectivity manifold by introducing flights to various parts of the country and abroad, the 17,340 square meter new terminal in Chettinad- style architecture has been created.
The 1,350-meter-long runway has been extended to 3,115 meters with a night landing facility for handling wide-bodied aircraft, like A320s and A321s. Moreover, to ensure the hassle-free handling of the passengers, 21 check-in counters, 7 baggage scanners, 3 aerobridges, 644 seats, a feeding room for mothers, isolation areas, 5 aircraft parking bays, fully equipped fire station have been completed. After the expansion, the Thoothukudi airport can handle up to 1,400 passengers per hour, which stood at just 156 earlier, officials said.
Another important project inaugurated by Mr. Modi on Saturday (July 26, 2025) was the 306-meter-long north cargo berthing facility with 14.20 metre draft at the cost of ₹285 crores at the VOC Port, Thoothukudi, which can handle larger vessels carrying coal, copper concentrate, limestone, gypsum and rock phosphate. This new berth is likely to create 300 direct employment and 500 indirect jobs. As of now, the all-weather VOC Port handles containers, coal, limestone, windmill turbine blades, fertilizer, edible oil, construction materials, timber, machinery, etc.
The 4-lane Sethiyathoppu – Chozhapuram 50 km stretch has been completed at the cost of ₹2,357 crore, and the 4-lane road connecting the VOC Port, Thoothukudi, has been upgraded into a 6-lane at the cost of ₹200 crores to ensure the hassle-free movement of heavy trucks carrying containers, logs and bulk cargo like coal and fertilizers.
The double railway track in Nagercoil Town – Nagercoil Junction – Kanniyakumari, Aralvaimozhi – Nagercoil Junction and Tirunelveli – Melapalayam sections were also dedicated to the nation on the occasion. The much-awaited Madurai – Bodi railway track electrification, which was taken up after this section was converted into broad gauge after decades of waiting, was also dedicated to the nation. All these rail projects have been completed on an outlay of ₹1,032 crores.
The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for the ₹548 crore interstate transmission system to evacuate the 2,000 MW power to be generated by VVER reactors 3 and 4 of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project, being built with Russian assistance.
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