Bengaluru: PM Modi flags off Vande Bharat, unveils Kempegowda statue, new airport terminal

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, Nov 11, 2022: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a jam-packed itinerary for the next two days as he embarks on a visit to four southern states – Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana -- on Friday.

During his tour of the four southern states from November 11-12, PM Modi flagged off the south’s first Vande Bharat express, inaugurated an airport terminal and is slated to launch development projects worth over Rs 25,000 crore.

 

PM @narendramodi flags off Chennai-Mysuru #VandeBharatExpress🚄

This will enhance connectivity between the industrial hub of Chennai and the Tech & Startup hub of Bengaluru and the famous tourist city of Mysuru. pic.twitter.com/1WANEjNXjx

— PIB India (@PIB_India) November 11, 2022

First on the Prime Minister’s agenda is BJP-ruled Karnataka. PM Modi began his programme on Friday morning by paying floral tributes to the statues of saint-poets Kanaka Dasa and Maharshi Valmiki at state secretariat Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru.

He then headed to Kranthiveera Sangolli Rayanna (KSR) Railway Station, where he flagged off the Mysuru-Chennai Vande Bharat Express. This is the fifth Vande Bharat Express train in the country and the first one in south India. It is expected to enhance connectivity between the industrial hub of Chennai and the tech and start-up hub of Bengaluru and the famous tourist city of Mysuru.

 

The role of Sri Nadaprabhu Kempegowda in the making of Bengaluru is unparalleled. He is remembered as a visionary who always put the welfare of people above everything else. Honoured to inaugurate the ‘Statue of Prosperity’ in Bengaluru. pic.twitter.com/zoMIXIYFf1

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 11, 2022

He also flagged off the Bharat Gaurav Kashi Darshan train. According to the PMO release, Karnataka is the first state to take up this train under the Bharat Gaurav scheme in which the Government of Karnataka and Ministry of Railways are working together to send pilgrims from the state to Kashi.

Later in the day, PM Modi unveiled the 108-feet bronze statue of the city’s founder, Nadaprabhu Kempegowda, called the ‘Statue of Prosperity.’

 

Here are glimpses from Terminal 2 of the Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru. This will lead to capacity expansion of the airport and will boost commerce. I am glad that the terminal building accords topmost importance to sustainability. @BLRAirport pic.twitter.com/9MxVyClhig

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 9, 2022

He inaugurated Terminal 2 of the International Airport on the outskirts of Bengaluru, built at a cost of around Rs 5,000 crore.

Terminal 2 is said to have been designed as a tribute to the "Garden city" of Bengaluru and the passenger experience is meant to be a "walk in the garden." The terminal is expected to double the passenger handling capacity of the airport to 5-6 crore passengers per annum, from the current capacity of about 2.5 crore.

The Prime Minister will also address a public meeting in which lakhs of people are expected to take part. Elaborate security arrangements have been made across the city and the venues of the events which Modi will be attending.

PM Modi’s visit is politically significant for the ruling BJP in Karnataka, with about just about five months for the Assembly polls in the state, as the saffron party hopes to return to power.

The PM will then leave for Dindigul in neighbouring Tamil Nadu, where he will attend the 36th convocation ceremony of Gandhigram Rural Institute.

On Saturday, he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of multiple projects worth over Rs 10,500 crore at Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.

PM Modi will also visit the RFCL plant in Ramagundam, Telangana and inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of various rail and road projects worth over Rs 9,500 crore there.

Courtesy: India Today