Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that governments may change, but his resolve for Tamil Nadu’s development and for serving its people remains steadfast. He was speaking in Chennai while inaugurating and laying the foundation stone for infrastructure projects worth about Rs 13,000 crore along with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, who received the Prime Minister on his arrival.

Modi said he would work with the chief minister to ensure that the state stays on the path of development and achieves further progress, recalling that he had worked with several chief ministers of the state across party lines over the years.

Projects unveiled and a metro ride

The Prime Minister inaugurated the Poonamallee-Vadapalani stretch of Phase II of the Chennai Metro Rail project, constructed at a cost of around Rs 4,900 crore. Following the inauguration, he travelled on the Chennai Metro from Porur Bypass Station to Poonamallee Bypass Station and back, with Chief Minister Vijay also present during the ride.

The projects unveiled include railway, road and petroleum-related initiatives, which the Prime Minister said would improve connectivity, strengthen industry and trade, and create jobs for young people. He added that the national metro network has surged from approximately 250 kilometres in 2014 to over 1,100 kilometres today. Earlier in the day, Modi visited the Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre on the IIT-Madras campus, where experts briefed him on the institute’s functioning and research activities.

A journey across governments

Recalling his experience as Gujarat chief minister, Modi said his tenure had helped him understand the expectations of states. He recalled interacting with former Tamil Nadu chief ministers M Karunanidhi and J Jayalalithaa, and after becoming Prime Minister, working with Jayalalithaa, O Panneerselvam, E Palaniswami and M K Stalin. He said he was now taking the development journey forward with Chief Minister Vijay.

Marking 25 continuous years as a head of government since taking his first oath as chief minister in October 2001, Modi said his faith in the people and in cooperative federalism had grown stronger, and that he had always taken the country’s development as his mantra.

The state’s requests

Vijay thanked the Prime Minister for inaugurating Phase II of the Chennai Metro Rail project and sought the Centre’s approval for Chennai Metro Phase III, reconsideration of metro projects in Coimbatore and Madurai, and the release of pending funds for the Samagra Shiksha scheme. He said his government was working towards a corruption-free and inclusive administration, while Modi assured the state of the Centre’s continued support to keep Tamil Nadu growing.