On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a slew of mega-projects costing thousands of crores in Telangana and Tamil Nadu.
Today, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, the Prime Minister inaugurated the New Integrated Terminal Building (Phase- 1) at Chennai International Airport. He also went on a tour of the new facility. Today, PM Modi also started off the Secunderabad-Tirupati Vande Bharat Express at Hyderabad’s Secunderabad Railway Station in Telangana. When the Prime Minister arrived at the venue, he inspected the Secunderabad-Tirupati Vande Bharat Express and chatted with youngsters as well as the train’s crew.
He lay the foundation stone and dedicated numerous projects worth over Rs. 11,300 crores to the country today at Parade Ground in Hyderabad, Telangana. The projects include the laying of the foundation stone for AIIMS Bibinagar in Hyderabad, the construction of five National Highways, and the restoration of Secunderabad Train Station. He also dedicated other railway development initiatives.
Today, the Prime Minister lay the foundation stone and dedicated numerous initiatives to the nation at Alstrom Cricket Field in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister launched the Chennai-Coimbatore Vande Bharat Express and inaugurated the New Integrated Terminal Building (Phase- 1) at Chennai International Airport.
In his address to the gathering, the Prime Minister stated that Tamil Nadu is the land of language and literature, as well as the home of history and tradition.
The Prime Minister stated that Tamil Nadu is a centre of patriotism and national consciousness, citing the fact that many of our liberation fighters come from the state. The Prime Minister stated that Tamil Nadu Puthandu is approaching and that it is time for new energy, hope, aspirations, and new beginnings.
“Many new infrastructure projects will begin to serve the people from today while some will witness their beginnings”, the Prime Minister said as he remarked that the new projects related to railways, roadways and airways will add to the new year celebrations.
He highlighted that India has been witnessing an infrastructure revolution driven by speed and scale.
Regarding the scale, he said that Rs 10 lakh crores has been earmarked for infrastructure development in this year’s Budget which is a five-time increase from the budget in 2014 while the fund allocation for rail infrastructure is at a record high.
About speed, the Prime Minister stated that since 2014, the length of National Highways added per year has doubled, rail line electrification has expanded from 600 to 4000 route kilometres per year, and the number of airports has increased from 74 to nearly 150.
Pointing to Tamil Nadu’s wide coastline as advantageous for trade, the Prime Minister stated that port capacity expansion has also increased since 2014.
The Prime Minister also addressed the nation’s social and digital infrastructure, noting that the number of medical colleges in the country has expanded from 380 in 2014 to 660 now.
In the last nine years, the Prime Minister continued, the country has tripled the number of apps produced, become the world’s number one in digital transactions, is amongst the world’s most inexpensive mobile data, and laid more than 6 lakh kilometres of optic fiber connecting almost 2 lakh gram panchayats. “Today, India has more internet users than urban users”, he added.
The Prime Minister remarked that the positive changes were a result of changes in work culture and vision.
He stated that infrastructure projects used to mean delays, but today they signify delivery, and this transition is the outcome of the work culture.
The Prime Minister highlighted that the administration holds itself accountable for every rupee that taxpayers pay, while aiming to produce outcomes ahead of schedule. The Prime Minister stated that infrastructure is not merely regarded as concrete, bricks, and cement, but with a human face that connects desire with achievement, people with possibilities, and dreams with reality, highlighting the difference in perspective from prior governments.
Giving the example of today’s projects, the Prime Minister highlighted that one of the roadways projects connects the cotton farmers of Virudhunagar and Tenkasi with other markets, the Vande Bharat Express between Chennai and Coimbatore connects small businesses with customers, and the new terminal of Chennai airport brings the world to Tamil Nadu.
He further added that it will bring investments which will create new income opportunities for the youth here. “It’s not just the vehicles that gain speed, but people’s dreams and the spirit of enterprise also gain speed. The economy gets a boost”, the Prime Minister said as he highlighted that each infrastructure project transforms the lives of crores of families.
“Tamil Nadu’s development is of great priority to the government”, the Prime Minister said as he informed that the state has been allocated an all-time high of over Rs 6,000 crores for rail infrastructure in this year’s Budget.
He went on to say that the average amount granted per year between 2009 and 2014 was less than Rs 900 crores. The length of national highways constructed in Tamil Nadu between 2004 and 2014 was roughly 800 kilometres, according to the Prime Minister, while nearly 2000 kilometres were added between 2014 and 2023.
About investment in the development and maintenance of national highways in Tamil Nadu, the Prime Minister stated that in 2014-15, over Rs 1200 crores were invested, but that by 2022-23, it had expanded 6-fold, to over Rs 8200 crores.
The Prime Minister noted that the three important cities Chennai, Madurai and Coimbatore are being directly benefited by the projects being inaugurated or started.
He mentioned the New Integrated Terminal Building inaugurated at the Chennai International Airport and said that it will cater to the growing passenger demand. The Prime Minister said the design of the airport reflects the beauty of Tamil culture.
“Be it the design of the roof, flooring, ceilings or murals, each of them reminds of some aspect of Tamil Nadu.” He also added that while tradition shines in the airport, it is also built for the modern needs of sustainability. He mentioned that it has been built using eco-friendly materials and also uses many green techniques such as LED lighting and solar energy.
He also mentioned the recently launched Chennai-Coimbatore Vande Bharat Express, stating that pride in ‘Made in India’ is inevitable in the land of the great VO Chidambaram Pillai.
