Tamil Nadu: PM Modi To Launch 11 Projects Worth Rs. 28,500 crore Including Chennai-Bengaluru Expressway, Port-Maduravoyal Elevated Road, Rail Station Redevelopment And MMLP

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Chennai on May 26(Thursday) to dedicate to the nation and lay the foundation stone for 11 infrastructure projects worth over Rs 31,400 crore at an event to be held at the JLN Indoor Stadium in Chennai.

The projects are expected to provide major boost to infrastructure development and enhance connectivity in the region

The Prime Minister will dedicate to the nation five projects worth over Rs 2900 crore.

• The 75 km long Madurai-Teni (Railway Gauge Conversion Project), built at a project cost of over Rs. 500 crore, will facilitate access and give a boost to tourism in the region.

• The 30 km long third railway line between Tambaram - Chengalpattu, built at a project cost of over Rs. 590 crore, will facilitate running of more Suburban services, thus offering greater options and enhancing comfort for the travellers.

• The 115 km long Ennore-Chengalpattu section and 271 km long Thiruvallur-Bengaluru section of ETBPNMT natural gas pipeline, built at a project cost of around Rs. 850 crore and Rs 910 crore respectively, will facilitate supply of natural gas to consumers as well industries in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

• 1152 houses constructed as part of Light House Project - Chennai, built at a cost of Rs 116 crore under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban.

Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone of six projects, being built at a cost of over Rs. 28,500 crore.

1. Chennai-Bengaluru Expressway

The 262 Km long Bengaluru - Chennai Expressway is being built at a cost of over Rs. 14,870 crore. It will pass-through states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu and help reduce travel time between Bengaluru and Chennai by 2-3 hours.

NHAI is already executing the project which has been divided up into 4 phases and 11 sections. All tenders for the projects have been awarded.

2. Chennai Port-Maduravoyal Elevated Road

The 4 Lane double decker elevated road connecting Chennai Port to Maduravoyal (NH-4), of about 21 Km in length, will be built at a cost of over Rs 5850 crore. It will facilitate round the clock approach of goods vehicles to Chennai port.

The Chennai Port to Maduravoyal elevated corridor is being taken up under the PM Gati Shakti program. The Chennai Port to Maduravoyal elevated corridor will be connected to the under construction Bangalore-Chennai Expressway by a 22-km long elevated road that will run along Poonamallee High Road from Sriperumbudur.

The Maduravoyal-Port elevated expressway corridor project was conceptualised and launched in September 2010 by the DMK Government under late CM Karunanidhi. But it was arbitrarily halted in 2011 by the Jayalalithaa government, claiming that the construction of pillars on the Cooum river would adversely impact the environment and cause flooding during the monsoon.

NHAI will be executing the project.

3. Egmore, Rameswaram, Madurai, Katpadi and Kanniyakumari Railway Station Redevelopment.

The foundation stones for redevelopment of five Railway stations: Chennai Egmore, Rameswaram, Madurai, Katpadi and Kanniyakumari, will also be laid during the programme. This project will be completed at a cost of over Rs. 1800 crore, and is being undertaken with a view to enhance convenience and comfort of the passengers through provision of modern amenities.

4. National Highway Projects

The ​​94 km long 4 lane Neraluru to Dharmapuri section of NH-844 and 31 km long 2 lane with paved shoulders of Meensurutti to Chidambaram section of NH-227, being built at a cost of around Rs 3870 crore and Rs 720 respectively, will help provide seamless connectivity in the region.

5. Multi Modal Logistic Park

Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone of a Multi Modal Logistic Park at Chennai worth over Rs. 1400 crore. It is expected to provide seamless intermodal freight movement and also offer multiple functionalities.

In Oct 2021, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to set up a multi-modal logistics park (MMLP) spread over 158 acre at Mappedu in Tiruvallur district at a cost of ₹1,200 crore was signed between Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO), National Highways Logistics Management Limited (NHLML) and the Chennai Port Trust (CPT) in Chennai.

The project would be funded via equity contribution/investment of the Chennai Port at a cost amounting to Rs 167 crore (land), NHAI/NHIDCL contribution of Rs l30 crore and that of State govt. through TIDCO of Rs 50 crore.

The MMLP, to be set up close to Chennai Peripheral Ring Road, would connect Chennai airport, Chennai port, Kamarajar port and Kattupalli port and would house state-of-the-art facilities for logistics.