New Delhi, July 25 (Reporter) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Tamil Nadu on July 26 and 27 to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for infrastructure and development projects worth over Rs 4,800 crore. The visit comes soon after his return from the UK and Maldives. On July 26, the Prime Minister will address a public event in Tuticorin, launching a slew of road, rail, port, aviation, and energy projects aimed at boosting connectivity and economic growth in southern Tamil Nadu, said a PMO statement today. The following day, July 27, he will attend the Aadi Thiruvathirai Festival in Tiruchirappalli, marking the 1000th anniversary of Rajendra Chola famed maritime expedition. A key highlight of the visit will be the inauguration of the new terminal building at Tuticorin Airport, developed at a cost of Rs 450 crore. The terminal, spread across 17,340 sq. metres, is designed to handle up to 25 lakh passengers annually and meets GRIHA-4 sustainability standards, as per the statement. In the highways sector, the PM will dedicate the 4-laning of the Sethiyathope–Cholapuram stretch of NH-36 (Rs 2,350 crore) and 6-laning of NH-138 Tuticorin Port Road (Rs 200 crore). These upgrades are expected to reduce travel time, ease cargo movement, and improve access to key industrial and agricultural zones. Port infrastructure will receive a boost with the inauguration of North Cargo Berth-III at V.O. Chidambaranar Port (Rs 285 crore), enhancing dry bulk cargo handling capacity by 6.96 mmt/pa, said the statement. Three major rail projects will be dedicated to the nation, including the electrification of the Madurai–Bodinayakkanur section and doubling of key segments in the Nagercoil and Tirunelveli regions. These initiatives, collectively worth over Rs 1,000 crore, aim to improve eco-friendly mobility and ease passenger and freight congestion in southern Tamil Nadu. To strengthen the state’s power infrastructure, the PM will lay the foundation for an Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) for the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant’s new units. The Rs 550 crore project includes a high-capacity 400 kV line to ensure reliable power transmission across states, as per the PMO. In Tiruchirappalli, the Prime Minister will participate in commemorations marking 1,000 years since Rajendra Chola I’s naval expedition to Southeast Asia and the founding of the Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple. He will also release a commemorative coin in honour of the emperor during the Aadi Thiruvathirai celebrations, said the statement. The UNESCO-listed temple is hailed for its architectural grandeur and spiritual legacy. The event to be held at the historic temple, will also spotlight Tamil Nadu’s rich Shaiva Bhakti heritage, exemplified by the 63 Nayanmars and deeply patronised by the Cholas...////...