Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Chennai on Sunday to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for development works valued at over Rs 13,000 crore across Tamil Nadu. A central highlight of the visit was the launch of Chennai Metro Phase 2 operations along the 14.6-kilometre stretch connecting Poonamallee and Vadapalani. Following the official flag-off ceremony, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay travelled together aboard the new metro train. During his address at the public event, Chief Minister Vijay seized the occasion to formally place six crucial infrastructure and administrative requests before the Prime Minister.
Accelerated Sanction for Chennai Metro Phase 3
Chief Minister Vijay opened his representations by urging the central government to swiftly clear Phase 3 of the Chennai Metro Rail project. Covering an aggregate length of approximately 65 kilometres, this upcoming phase encompasses routes connecting Airport to Kilambakkam, Poonamallee to Sunguvarchatram, and Koyambedu to Pattabiram. The Chief Minister emphasised that building these corridors is vital to expanding urban coverage across the Chennai metropolitan area, drastically strengthening mass transit accessibility and alleviating ground congestion for thousands of commuters.
Tier-2 Metro Proposals and Cross-Border Link to Karnataka
Turning attention to regional urban centres, Chief Minister Vijay requested the central government to reconsider its position on metro rail proposals for Coimbatore and Madurai. He pointed out that providing modern transit systems in these cities is essential to sustain long-term economic momentum across western and southern Tamil Nadu. In addition, the Chief Minister pitched for an inter-state metro line connecting Hosur in Tamil Nadu to Bommasandra in Karnataka, noting that this bi-state transit artery would foster seamless movement between major industrial clusters and deliver economic gains to both states.
Godavari-Cauvery Interlinking and High-Speed Rail
Highlighting equitable water distribution and ecological stability, Chief Minister Vijay called for swift action on river connectivity. He stressed that the Godavari-Cauvery link project presents a critical opportunity to augment water reserves across peninsular India, urging the Union government to accord it top priority and steer it as a dedicated national project. To accelerate intercity passenger mobility, he further proposed the development of dedicated high-speed rail corridors linking Chennai to Kanyakumari and Chennai to Coimbatore, asserting that rapid connectivity would give a substantial boost to trade and regional tourism.
Unconditional Release of Rs 5,110 Crore SSA Education Funds
Concluding his appeal on state finances, Chief Minister Vijay raised the matter of pending grants under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) scheme. He informed the gathering that an outstanding sum of Rs 5,110 crore is due from the Union government to Tamil Nadu under the initiative. He requested Prime Minister Modi to disburse this entire amount without imposing preconditions to safeguard school education welfare. Following the unveiling of projects exceeding Rs 13,000 crore, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the gathering, stating that while governments in the state had changed, his personal commitment to the progress of Tamil Nadu had remained steadfast.
