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In Chennai, PM Modi holds roadshow, launches mega projects worth ₹31,500 crore
This is Modi's first visit to Chennai after the DMK government came to power in the state last year.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a big roadshow after landing in Chennai on Thursday evening from Hyderabad where participated in celebrations of the Indian School of Business (ISB) for completing its 20 years. Later, Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 11 projects worth more than ₹31,500 crore at Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai.
Modi was received by Tamil Nadu governor RN Ravi in Chennai. DMK leaders and Tamil Nadu Ministers Duraimurugan and K Ponmudy were also present on the occasion. Minister of state for fisheries L Murugan and former Tamil Nadu chief minister Edapaddi K Palaniswami were also present.
This is Modi's first visit to Chennai after the DMK government came to power in the state last year.
Modi inaugurated 1,152 houses constructed under the Light House Project - Chennai. The project has been built at a cost of ₹116 crore under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban.
Modi had launched the Lighthouse projects on January 1, 2021, to use new technology to complete housing projects faster while making them more resilient. Since then, he has been regularly reviewing the status of the project, including through drone-based monitoring.
“In Chennai, development works worth over Rs. 31,000 crore would either be inaugurated or their foundation stones would be laid. These projects cover key infra sectors such as railways, petroleum, housing and roads. Commerce and connectivity would be boosted by these works,” Modi had tweeted on Wednesday.
“The projects being inaugurated include: Madurai-Theni railway gauge conversion project. Third railway line between Tambaram-Chengalpattu. 2 natural gas pipelines. Houses constructed as part of Light House Project, Chennai,” Modi added.
According to the PMO press release, the five projects are worth over ₹2,900 crore. The 75-km-long Madurai-Teni (railway gauge conversion project), built at a project cost of over ₹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 ₹590 crore, will facilitate the running of more Suburban services, thus offering greater options and enhancing comfort for the travellers.
In Hyderabad, Modi yet again criticised “pariwarwaad” or “dynastic politics” underlining that the BJP wanted to develop the southern state as a “technology hub”.
“Pariwarwaadi' party is not just a political problem but the biggest enemy of democracy and the youth of our country. Our country has seen how corruption becomes the face of those political parties dedicated to one family,” the prime minister said in an apparent reference to the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) in the state.
Interestingly, chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao was holding a meeting with former prime minister HD Deve Gowda at the latter's residence in Bengaluru when Modi was taking a jibe at him.
KCR's meeting with the Opposition leaders is a part of his effort to bring the anti-BJP leaders together and form a third front ahead of the 2024 general elections. Earlier last week, he was in New Delhi where he met Aam Aadmi chief Arvind Kejriwal and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav.
(With inputs from agencies)
