Modi arrives in Kavaratti to inaugurate, lay foundation stone of several development projects

KAVARATTI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Kavaratti to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of several development projects. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a mass gathering of two lakh women from various walks of life at the Bharatiya Janata Party's Mahila Conference in Thrissur Kerala on Wednesday.

Banners and hoardings have been put up in Thrissur city to welcome the Prime Minister. He will address road shows and public meetings Titled 'Sthree Shakthi Modikk Oppam' (Empower Women with Modi), the convention, to be held at the Thekkinkadu ground today is organised by the Kerala unit of the BJP to congratulate PM Modi for successfully passing the Women's Reservation Bill in both Houses of Parliament.

Women from diverse backgrounds have been invited to participate in the event. Prior to his Kerala visit the PM will dedicate and lay foundation stones for various development projects in Lakshwadweep today.

The PM reached Lakshadweep yesterday and chaired a review meeting on aspects relating to Lakshadweep's progress. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation and laid the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth more than Rs 20,000 crore in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu He dedicated the Demonstration Fast Reactor Fuel Reprocessing Plant (DFRP) at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research in Kalpakkam in Chengalpattu district.

Built at a cost of about Rs 400 crore, this groundbreaking facility has the unique distinction of being the world's only industrial-scale plant capable of handling both carbide and oxide spent fuels from fast reactors, a release stated. He also inaugurated the new terminal building of the Tiruchirappalli International Airport -- Tamil Nadu's second-largest terminal in terms of international traffic, after the one in the capital Chennai. The new terminal building has been developed at a cost of more than Rs 1100 crore.

The two-level new international terminal can serve more than 44 lakh passengers annually and about 3,500 during peak hours, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) informed earlier through an official release. Tiruchirappalli International Airport is the second-largest airport in terms of international passenger traffic after Chennai in Tamil Nadu.

Prime Minister Modi also dedicated to the nation multiple railway projects worth crores. These include the doubling of the 41.4 km Salem-Magnesite Junction-Omalur-Mettur Dam section; the doubling of the rail line section of 160 km from Madurai-Tuticorin; and three projects for rail line electrification: Tiruchchirappalli-Manamadurai-Virudhunagar; Virudhunagar-Tenkasi Junction; Sengottai-Tenkasi Junction; Tirunelveli- Tirunelveli- Tiruchendur.

The rail projects are tipped to help improve the rail capacity to carry freight and passengers and contribute to economic development and employment generation in Tamil Nadu.