Chennai (PTI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will be arriving here on Friday on a day's visit to Tamil Nadu.

He, along with the Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, would be conferred honorary doctorate degrees by the Madras University at a special function to mark the sesquicentennial celebration of the university.

He would also inaugurate the Apollo Reach hospital.

Later in the day, he will fly to Salem, to lay the foundation stone for the Rs 1,750 crore modernisation and expansion of the Salem Steel Plant (SSP) there. The plan envisages installation of steel making facilities including a continuous slab caster and expansion of the plant's cold rolling capatity.

The project is expected to be completed in 36 months.

UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and union ministers from Tamil Nadu, besides Union Minister for Steel Ramvilas Paswan would participate.

Security has been tightened in view of the Prime Minister's visit.