Kochi, Feb 14 (IANS): Amid tight security Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Kochi on Sunday to launch new projects of central public sector organisations.

The police and the SPG had taken over the entire place after reports surfaced that the Congress workers might stage a protest.

He was received at the airport of the Southern Naval Command by state PWD Minister G.Sudhakaran and others.

From the airport he took a helicopter to the Rajagiri educational group's ground and reached the inauguration venue by road. Enroute, he was greeted by a large number of BJP workers.

Modi will inaugurate around five different projects from the same venue of the Cochin Refinery, on account of security.

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Mansukh L. Mandaviya, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan and Union Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan also will share the stage with Modi.

The programme includes dedicating BPCL's Rs 6,000-crore Propylene Derivatives Petrochemicals Project to the nation, launch of Sagarika, the Rs 25 crore Cochin Port's international cruise terminal, laying the foundation stone for Cochin Port's reconstruction of the south coal berth and a new knowledge centre of Cochin Shipyard Ltd Vigyana Sagar among others.

After that Modi will attend the core committee meeting of 13 party leaders of the state BJP unit, as the Assembly polls are around the corner, where he is expected to give a pep talk to the leaders. He will return to Delhi around 6 p.m.