Chennai, March 1 – Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate several government initiatives in Madurai and Puducherry on Sunday.
He will also visit the Arulmigu Subramanyaswamy temple in Tirupparankundram, Madurai, in the evening and offer prayers.
The Prime Minister, who arrived in Chennai on Saturday night, was received by Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi, Union Minister L Murugan, State Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, BJP state president Nainar Nagendran, senior leader Tamilisai Soundararajan, and other officials at the airport. He later left for Lok Bhavan here for an overnight stay.
During his visit to Puducherry, the PM will inaugurate, dedicate to the nation, and lay the foundation stone for development projects worth over ₹2,700 crore. These projects aim to strengthen infrastructure, urban services, industrial development, education, healthcare, and sustainable growth.
In Madurai, he will inaugurate infrastructure projects worth over ₹4,400 crore and lay the foundation stone for the four-laning of the Marakkanam–Puducherry section of NH-332A and the Paramakudi–Ramanathapuram section of NH-87 around 3 pm.
He will also inaugurate eight redeveloped railway stations in Tamil Nadu, dedicate the Chennai Beach–Chennai Egmore fourth line, and address the gathering. Around 4 pm, Modi will visit the Arulmigu Subramanyaswamy Temple in Tirupparankundram to offer prayers.
According to his schedule, Modi will inaugurate projects in Puducherry at around 11:45 am, before traveling to Madurai for the official events beginning at 3 pm.
Key initiatives to be inaugurated in Puducherry include the launch of e-buses under the PM e-Bus Seva initiative, the Integrated Command and Control Centre under the Smart City Mission, tenements for Economically Weaker Sections under the City Investments to Innovate, Integrate and Sustain (CITIIS) initiative, and critical sewerage and water supply projects.
The PM will also dedicate to the nation the 750-acre Karasur–Sedarapet Industrial Estate, which will house a Pharma Park, Textile Park, IT Park, a state-of-the-art research and development centre of IIT Madras, and advanced healthcare facilities of JIPMER, providing a major boost to industrial growth and employment.
At Madurai, he will inaugurate three new Akashvani FM relay transmitters at Kumbakonam, Yercaud, and Vellore to expand regional coverage, ensure uninterrupted FM broadcasting, and enhance access to public broadcasting services across multiple districts.
Ahead of Modi’s visit, BJP members launched a hashtag campaign, “#ModiComesNDAWins.”
His visit to the Subrahmanya Swamy temple is much anticipated by the BJP following a controversy that erupted last year during the Karthigai Deepam festival over the demand to light a lamp atop a deepathoon (stone pillar), after local authorities resisted the move.
The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court later allowed Hindus to light the lamp atop the deepathoon located on Tirupparankundram hill, near a dargah, and faulted local officials for their apprehension of a potential conflict between communities.
Nainar Nagendran has appealed to devotees to circumambulate (undertake a Girivalam) around Tirupparankundram hill on March 2 to highlight the demand for lighting the lamp atop the stone pillar.
Kadeshwara Subramaniam, state president of Hindu Munnani, has also urged devotees to undertake the Girivalam on March 2, coinciding with the auspicious Magha star in the Tamil month of Maasi.
"The Magha nakshatra, which falls on a full moon day, is auspicious for Lord Murugan. We urge devotees to visit Tirupparankundram hill, where the Kashi Vishwanathar Temple and Subrahmanya Swamy Temple are located, and seek divine blessings," Subramaniam said in a statement.
He added that the Girivalam is being organised by Murugan devotees for universal well-being.
Tamil Nadu BJP election in-charge Piyush Goyal said Modi will visit the Lord Subrahmanyaswamy Temple, where the long-delayed lighting of the lamp has finally been allowed. Goyal accused the ruling DMK of "blocking" the auspicious ceremony.
"It is a shame that the DMK government did not allow this auspicious ceremony and put roadblocks, which have hurt Tamil pride, culture, and its people," he told reporters in Madurai on Saturday.
Goyal exuded confidence that the people of Tamil Nadu would vote for the NDA in the upcoming Assembly election.
The PM, along with AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, will address a massive rally in Madurai and expose the "failures" of the DMK government, highlighting how the DMK, Congress, and their allies have repeatedly hurt the sentiments of Tamils and ignored Tamil culture, he further said.