PM Modi to inaugurate slew of projects in poll-bound Karnataka today: Bengaluru-Mysuru Highway, IIT Dharwad are key ones

The prime minister, who will be on his fifth visit to Karnataka since February, will also will inaugurate and dedicate to the nation the permanent campus of the Indian Institute of Technology, Dharwad and a state-run heart hospital.

“Tomorrow, PM Modi will dedicate the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway to the nation. The 118 km long project has been developed at a total cost of around Rs 8480 crore. It will reduce the travel time between Bengaluru and Mysuru from around three hours to about 75 minutes,” the Press Information Bureau said.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said the prime minister will also inaugurate a Jal Jeevan Mission and a Jayadeva Hospital in Dharwad. “Whenever the PM has visited the state he has been releasing grants for much-needed basic infrastructure projects. Many projects are ready for dedication to the people as a result,” Bommai said.

PM Modi is expected to attempt to tap into a vote base in south Karnataka that has been largely elusive for the BJP through the inauguration of the Bengaluru-Mysuru Highway Project. (Express Photo)

“PM Modi has made a big contribution to state and inter-state infrastructure facilities and has released the maximum funds for national highways, railways, ports, and other institutions. These are all the fruits of the assistance provided by the Centre to the state,” he said.

Academic activities at IIT Dharwad began in July 2016 in a transit campus and three sets of B Tech programmes in Computer Science and Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering have been provided.

Four more me in Engineering Physics, Civil and Infrastructure Engineering, Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, and Mathematics and Computing are being offered. IIT Dharwad has 856 students and 73 faculty members at present.

The foundation stone for the permanent campus of IIT Dharwad was laid by PM Modi on February 10, 2019, on 470 acres of land allotted by the Karnataka government. The construction of Phase 1A of the permanent campus received an allotment of ₹ 852 crore.