New Delhi: Ahead of inaugurating the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway project, and dedicating IIT Dharwad and the "longest" railway platform in the world to the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a massive roadshow in poll-bound Karnataka on Sunday. Hundreds of people lined up along the streets of Karnataka's Mandya city and welcomed PM Modi by showering flowers on him.
He also picked up the shower petals which got piled up on the bonnet of his car and was seen throwing them back at the crowd. Standing on the 'running board' of his moving car, he greeted by waving at the crowd gathered on the sides of the roads and on nearby buildings, many of whom were seen chanting 'Modi, Modi' slogans and shouting loud cheers.
He also got out of his car and greeted folk artists who staged a performance in his welcome.
PM Modi was in Karnataka to dedicate and lay the foundation stones of projects worth around £1.6 billion, during his sixth visit to the state this year.
According to an official release, Prime Minister also dedicated and laid the foundation stone of key road projects in Mandya, and thereafter, he inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of various development initiatives in Hubballi-Dharwad.
In what is being seen as the high point of the visit, Modi dedicated the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway to the nation. The project involves 6-laining of the Bengaluru-Nidaghatta-Mysuru section of NH-275.
The 118-km-long project has been developed at a total cost of around £848 million and will reduce the travel time between Bengaluru and Mysuru from around 3 hours to about 75 minutes, the release said, adding that it will act as a catalyst for socio-economic development in the region.
The PM will also laid the foundation stone for Mysuru-Kushalnagar 4-lane highway. Spread over 92 Km, the project will be developed at a cost of around £413 million. At Hubballi-Dharwad, he dedicated IIT Dharwad to the nation. He also dedicated to the nation the "longest railway platform in the world" at Shree Siddharoodha Swamiji Hubballi Station. The record has been recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records recently. The 1,507 m long platform has been built at a cost of about £2 million.