Bengaluru, Nov 13 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated, dedicated to the nation, laid the foundation stone and flagged off a series of development projects worth more than Rs 15,600 crore at a ceremony held at the IIM Bangalore campus.
The projects span key sectors, including urban mobility, power transmission, renewable energy, petroleum infrastructure, waste management and railways.
The Prime Minister also flagged off the Bengaluru-Mangaluru-Madgaon Vande Bharat Express by waving a green flag. Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw and Minister of State for Railways and Jal Shakti V. Somanna joined the event virtually from Mangaluru, while Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant participated virtually from Madgaon. The train will cover a distance of 850 km.
Bengaluru-Mangaluru-Madgaon (Goa) Vande Bharat Express will provide faster and modern rail connectivity between Bengaluru, Coastal Karnataka and Goa. The service will connect key destinations, including Hassan, Sakleshpur, Mangaluru, Udupi, Murdeshwar, Gokarna and Karwar before reaching Madgaon, benefiting passengers and boosting tourism in the region.
Earlier, Chief Minister Shivakumar welcomed Prime Minister Modi at the IIM Bangalore campus by presenting him with a shawl and a bouquet. The Chief Minister also honoured him with a statue of Nadaprabhu Kempegowda, known as the architect of Bengaluru.
Bengaluru South BJP MP Tejasvi Surya delivered the welcome address.
Among the major projects inaugurated was the Transmission Scheme for Integration of Renewable Energy Zones, Phase-II, in Koppal-II and Gadag-II, developed at an investment of around Rs 4,450 crore. The transmission system will facilitate the evacuation of approximately 2 GW of renewable energy potential from the Koppal and Gadag regions for transmission and distribution to beneficiaries across the grid.
The Prime Minister also inaugurated the Transmission Scheme for the Solar Energy Zone in Bidar, developed at an investment of around Rs 1,370 crore. The project includes the establishment of a Bidar Pooling Station and will facilitate the evacuation of 2.5 GW of solar power from the region.
PM Modi laid the foundation stone for the Transmission Scheme for Integration of the Davanagere-Chitradurga and Ballari Renewable Energy Zones, involving an investment of more than Rs 3,450 crore. He also laid the foundation stone for a Transmission System Strengthening project for the integration of additional renewable energy potential at Davanagere and Ballari, estimated to cost more than Rs 1,100 crore.
In the petroleum infrastructure sector, the Prime Minister dedicated to the nation India's largest underground LPG storage cavern in Mangaluru, constructed at a cost of more than Rs 850 crore. With a storage capacity of 80,000 metric tonnes, the facility is expected to significantly strengthen India's LPG storage infrastructure.
The project also includes a 9.4-km LPG pipeline connecting New Mangalore Port to the main terminal, facilitating efficient transportation and storage of LPG.
PM Modi also dedicated to the nation the Devangonthi Marketing Terminal of Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL) in Bengaluru. Built at an investment of Rs 330 crore, the state-of-the-art facility is expected to strengthen petroleum product storage and distribution infrastructure in Karnataka.
The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for GAIL's Compressed Biogas Plant in Haralakunte, Bengaluru. The plant will process approximately 300 tonnes of municipal solid waste every day to produce 12.6 tonnes of clean Compressed Biogas. The project is aimed at promoting scientific waste management, reducing dependence on conventional fuels and contributing to a cleaner and more sustainable environment.
In the railway sector, PM Modi inaugurated four redeveloped railway stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme -- Chamarajanagar, Chikkamagaluru, Sakleshpur and Subrahmanya Road. The upgraded stations will offer improved passenger amenities and are expected to serve as city centres, promoting local commercial activities and tourism.
The Prime Minister also dedicated to the nation the 45-km Bagalkot-Wandal railway line doubling section, which forms part of the 284-km Gadag-Hotgi Doubling Project. The section is expected to improve passenger and freight movement, support local trade and facilitate coal supply to the Kudgi NTPC plant.
He further dedicated to the nation the electrification of the 55-km Sakleshpur-Subrahmanya Road Ghat railway section. Passing through one of India's most challenging railway terrains, the project marks a significant engineering achievement. With its completion, the entire Bengaluru-Mangaluru rail route is now fully electrified.
--IANS
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