Modi lays foundation of projects worth ₹10,800cr in poll-bound Kerala
What's the story
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of several development projects worth ₹10,800 crore in Ernakulam, Kerala. The projects include a Polypropylene Unit at Kochi Refinery and redeveloped railway stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. The PM also flagged off a new train service between Palakkad and Pollachi to enhance rail connectivity between Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Industrial growth
Polypropylene unit at Kochi Refinery
Per ANI, the new Polypropylene Unit at Kochi Refinery of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) will be established with an investment of over ₹5,500 crore. With a capacity of 400 Kilo Tons Per Annum, the unit is expected to strengthen India's domestic polymer manufacturing capability and reduce import dependency. It will also promote industrial growth and generate employment opportunities in the region.
Infrastructure development
Inauguration of major highway projects
PM Modi also inaugurated two major highway projects. The six-laning of the Thalapady-Chengala section of NH-66 was built at a cost of over ₹2,650 crore. This project is part of the Mumbai-Kanyakumari Economic Corridor and will improve connectivity between Kasaragod and Kannur districts. The second project is the six-laning of Kozhikode Bypass from Vengalam to Ramanattukara, costing around ₹2,140 crore.
Sustainable development
Other initiatives for Kerala
The PM also inaugurated 23 rural roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) to improve connectivity in rural areas. He dedicated the Shoranur-Nilambur road railway line electrification project for efficient train operations. He also laid the foundation of the 50 MW floating solar project at West Kallada to promote clean energy generation in Kerala.
Twitter Post
We want Kerala to progress in Solar Power Generation: Modi
#WATCH | Ernakulum, Kerala | Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "India is becoming a huge manufacturing hub today. The country is rapidly progressing in the AI and semiconductor sectors... For such things, we need more and more green and clean energy. India has become one of the… pic.twitter.com/IsYOmVCZcB
— ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2026
Political significance
PM's visit ahead of Kerala Assembly elections
The visit comes ahead of the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections, where the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance will look to challenge the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist). Before inaugurating these projects, PM Modi held a roadshow in Kochi, which was attended by a large crowd welcoming him with chants.