Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the Shivamogga airport with a lotus-shaped terminal and lay the foundation for various development projects in Belagavi today i.e. on Monday.

The inauguration of the Shivamogga airport coincides with the BJP strongman and former chief minister B S Yediyurappa’s 80th birthday in his hometown. The two cities of Karnataka have decked up to receive the Prime Minister with festoons, party flags, banners and posters.

Taking notes from the itinerary, the official said that the prime minister will arrive at the Shivamogga airport at about 11 am. Amid PM Modi’s roadshow in the city, a thick security blanket has been thrown.

PM Modi to inaugurate Shivamogga airport

According to the officials, PM Modi will undertake a walk-through and inspect the airport in Shivamogga. Inauguration and laying of the foundation stone of multiple projects in the district is also part of the programme.

The new airport has been developed at a cost of around Rs 450 crore. The lotus-shaped passenger terminal building of the airport can handle 300 passengers per hour.

The airport is expected to improve connectivity and accessibility of Shivamogga and other neighbouring areas in the Malnad region.

Two more railway projects are to be laid

The foundation stone for two railway projects, Shikaripura–Ranebennur new Railway line and Koteganguru railway coaching depot, will also be laid during the visit.

The Shivamogga–Shikaripura–Ranebennur new railway line will be developed at a cost of Rs. 990 crores and will provide enhanced connectivity to the Malnad region with the Bengaluru-Mumbai mainline.

The Koteganguru railway coaching depot in Shivamogga city will be developed at an outlay of more than Rs 100 crore to help start new trains from Shivamogga and decongest maintenance facilities in Bengaluru and Mysuru.

Road development projects

The PM will lay the foundation stone for multiple road development projects worth more than Rs 215 crore, including the construction of a new bypass road for Shikaripura town connecting Byndur – Ranebennur, widening of NH-169A from Megaravalli to Agumbe; and the construction of a new bridge at Bharathipura in Teerthahalli Taluk.

Jal Jeevan Mission

Prime Minister Modi will also unveil and lay the foundation stone of multi-village schemes to the tune of over Rs 950 crore under the Jal Jeevan Mission.

This includes the inauguration of a scheme for Gowthamapura and 127 other villages and laying the foundation stone for three other schemes to be developed at a total cost of more than Rs 860 crore.

The four schemes aim to provide functional household piped water connections, which are expected to benefit a total of more than 4.4 lakh people.

44 Smart city projects in Shivamogga

As many as 44 Smart City projects worth more than Rs 895 crores in Shivamogga will also be inaugurated.

The projects include eight smart road packages of 110 km in length, integrated command and control centre and multi-level car parking; smart bus shelter projects, an intelligent solid waste management system, and the creation of parks and riverfront development projects, among others.

PM to release the 13th instalment under PM-KISAN

Later, PM Modi will fly to Belagavi where he will release the 13th instalment of about Rs 16,000 crores under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) through direct benefits transfer to more than eight crore beneficiaries.

Under the scheme, eligible farmer families are provided with a benefit of Rs 6000 per year in three equal instalments of Rs 2000 each.

He will dedicate the Belagavi Railway station building to the nation, which has been redeveloped at an approximate cost of about Rs 190 crore to provide world-class amenities to the passengers.

He will also launch the rail line doubling project between Londa-Belagavi worth Rs 930 crores. The project will enhance line capacity along the busy Mumbai-Pune-Hubballi-Bengaluru railway line, leading to the promotion of trade, commerce and economic activities in the region.

Modi’s visit to Shivamogga on Monday will be the fifth this year.

The general assembly elections in Karnataka are due sometime in April-May.