Shivamogga: In a major infrastructure push, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone and inaugurated multiple development projects worth more than Rs 36 billion at Karnataka’s Shivamogga on Monday.

PM Modi inaugurated the Shivamogga Airport and took a walk-through of the facilities.

According to Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the new airport is developed at a cost of around Rs 4.5 billion. The Passenger Terminal Building of the airport can handle 300 passengers per hour and will improve connectivity and accessibility of Shivamogga and other neighbouring areas in the Malnad region.

Referring to the newly inaugurated airport in Shivamogga, the Prime Minister said that the needs of the citizens have been fulfilled today after a long time. Remarking on the splendid beauty and construction of the airport, the PM highlighted the amalgamation of the traditions and technology of Karnataka.

“It is not just an airport but a campaign where the dreams of the younger generations can take off,” he remarked.

The Prime Minister reiterated that the airport in Shivamogga is being inaugurated at a time when the enthusiasm for air travel is at an all-time high in India. He said, “only recently, Air India completed a deal to purchase the largest passenger aircraft in the world. Before 2014 during the Congress regime, Air India was generally discussed in a negative light and its identity had always been associated with scams where it was deemed a loss-making business model.”

In view of expanding aviation market of India, Modi said the country will require thousands of aircraft in the near future where youth will be needed as a workforce. “Even though we are importing these aircraft today, the day is not far when the citizens of India will fly in Made in India passenger airplanes,” he said.

The Prime Minister elaborated upon the policies of the government that have led to an unprecedented expansion of the aviation sector.

“Till 2014, the country had 74 airports in the first seven decades of independence whereas in the last nine years, 74 more airports have been added, connecting many smaller cities,” he said.

Modi said that Shivamogga is a gateway to the Malenadu region which is famous for the Western Ghats and home to greenery, wildlife sanctuaries, rivers, the famous Jog Falls and Elephant Camp, Lion Safari in Simha Dham and the mountain ranges of Agumbe.

He said, “The new airport is going to open doors of development for Shivamogga, the land of nature, culture and agriculture.” Recalling the adage, the Prime Minister said that life remains incomplete for those who have not taken a dip in the Ganges and drank the water of the Tungabhadra river.

Railway projects

Modi laid the foundation stone for two railway projects in Shivamogga. This includes Shivamogga - Shikaripura - Ranebennur new Railway line and Koteganguru Railway coaching depot.

The Shivamogga - Shikaripura - Ranebennur new Railway line, will be developed at a cost of Rs 9.9 billion and will provide enhanced connectivity of the Malnad region with the Bengaluru-Mumbai mainline.

Koteganguru Railway coaching depot at Shivamogga city will be developed at a cost of more than Rs 1 billion to help start new trains from Shivamogga and decongest maintenance facilities at Bengaluru and Mysuru, said PMO statement.

Modi also laid the foundation stone for multiple road development projects and inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of multi-village schemes worth more than Rs 9.5 billion under the Jal Jeevan Mission during the programme. This includes the inauguration of one multi-village scheme for Gowthamapura and 127 other villages and laying the foundation stone for three other multi-village schemes to be developed at a total cost of more than Rs 8.6 billion. The four schemes will provide functional household piped water connections and are expected to benefit more than 440,000 people.