Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Kerala
| Photo Credit:
narendramodi.in via PTI Photo
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched multiple infrastructure and development projects worth over ₹10,800 crore in Kerala, amid a boycott of the function by the State Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and other ministers.
Kerala ministers stayed away from the event following the omission of the State’s PWD Minister PA Mohammed Riyas from the inaugural function of the first stretch of the six-lane expansion of National Highway 66 in Kozhikode.
Ahead of the Prime Minister’s inauguration of the highway expansion, Mohammed Riyas conducted a protest roadshow at Ramanattukara in Kozhikode, describing the exclusion of a State minister from the event as a humiliation to the State.
Among the key projects inaugurated was the ₹5,500-crore Polypropylene Unit at the BPCL Kochi Refinery, the six-lane Kozhikode Bypass stretch from Vengalam to Ramanattukara, a 50-MW floating solar project at West Kallada in Kollam, three redeveloped railway stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, and the Shoranur–Nilambur Road Railway Line Electrification Project.
Speaking on the occasion, Modi said the objective behind Polypropylene Unit is to make the petroleum sector robust. The unit at BPCL Kochi Refinery will have capacity to produce four lakh tonnes per annum to support packaging, automotive components, medical devices, textiles sectors and household products.
While laying the foundation stone for the 50-MW floating solar project at West Kallada, Modi stressed the need to generate more power to support various industrial sectors as India emerges as a manufacturing hub in AI and semiconductor industries. Clean and green energy will be essential to support this growth, he said, adding that the project will contribute to India’s clean-energy goals and reinforce the country’s commitment to a sustainable and low-carbon future. Keralam with large number of water bodies holds great potential in floating solar power plants.
He said the six-lane Thalapady–Chengala section of NH‑66, built at a cost of over ₹2,650 crore, forms part of the Mumbai–Kanyakumari Economic Corridor. The six-lane Kozhikode Bypass from Vengalam to Ramanattukara, constructed at a cost of around ₹2,140 crore, is expected to reduce travel time along the stretch from over one hour to about 15–20 minutes. He also dedicated to the nation the Shoranur–Nilambur Road railway line electrification project and fla
Modernization efforts at Shoranur Junction, Kuttipuram, and Changanassery, along with the new Palakkad–Pollachi train service, are set to transform the travel experience for residents of both Kerala and Tamil Nadu, he added.
Published on March 11, 2026