Shivamogga airport to boost business, says PM Modi ahead of its inauguration
Bengaluru (PTI): Days ahead of his visit to Shivamogga in poll-bound Karnataka to inaugurate the newly built airport, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the facility will boost commerce, connectivity and enhance tourism in the region.
Modi was responding to the tweet threads of Shivamogga MP B Y Raghavendra, who shared a video of the airport and its terminal on his Twitter handle, saying the dream of an airport in Shivamogga has come true.
"The airport in Shivamogga will boost commerce, connectivity and enhance tourism," Modi said.
The Prime Minister will inaugurate the greenfield airport in Shivamogga on February 27, which happens to be former chief minister B S Yediyurappa's birthday when he will turn 80.
Raghavendra, who is Yediyurappa's elder son, tweeted: "The dream of an airport at Shivamogga is coming true! The Shivamogga Airport will establish itself as not merely an airport, but as the gateway of Malnad region's journey to transformation."
The Lok Sabha member said the airport with a lotus shaped terminal will cater to the demand of not just the people of Shivamogga but also entire central Karnataka.
It will give wings to the aspirations of the youth and help create lakhs of employment opportunities for them, he said adding that industries, especially IT, tourism and dairy sector will significantly be benefitted.
"Due to the guidance of PM Shri @narendramodi Ji and efforts of our Double Engine Sarkar, this aspirational project has been realised in a record time," Raghavendra said.
Shivamogga is the home district of Yediyurappa and his family, though his native place is Bookanakere in Mandya district.
Yediyurappa has announced his retirement from electoral politics.
Earlier, PM Modi retweeted the former chief minister's farewell speech in the Karnataka assembly, saying: "As a worker of BJP, I found this speech very inspiring. This reflects our party's ethics. It will definitely inspire other party workers as well."
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Bengal: On way to PM's rally, 3 mowed down by train amid dense fog
Kolkata (PTI): Three persons died and three others were injured after being hit by a train amid dense fog on Saturday, while travelling to attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally at Taherpur in West Bengal's Nadia district, a senior official said.
The incident occurred between Taherpur and Badkulla railway stations under the Sealdah-Krishnanagar section of Eastern Railway, he said.
Modi, whose helicopter could not land at Taherpur due to dense fog and low visibility, condoled the death of the “BJP workers” in his virtual address from Kolkata airport.
“I have come to know that some BJP workers, while travelling to the rally, lost their lives in a rail accident. My condolences are with the families of those who have lost their loved ones, and I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured,” Modi said.
The Eastern Railway official told PTI that the incident occurred in the morning when these people, who were travelling by a bus, had stopped the vehicle and walked to the railway tracks to answer nature's call.
"While three persons died on the spot, two others with injuries were admitted to a local hospital," he said.
Another person with minor injuries was released after having been administered first aid, the official said.
The deceased have been identified as Ramprasad Ghosh (74), Shaktipada Sutradhar (55) and Gopinath Das (38).
Meanwhile, Mahua Moitra, Trinamool Congress MP from Krishnanagar constituency in Nadia district, alleged that the BJP ignored the incident and went ahead with the rally.
"Terrible tragedy hushed up at altar of @narendramodi ego. @BJP4India supporters brought from far Murshidabad for PM rally in Ranaghat today," she said in a post on X.
"4 went to answer nature's call and were killed by 31814 down local train near Taherpur. BJP ignored, blacked out & went ahead with rally," Moitra claimed.
Reacting to her remarks, the West Bengal BJP, in a post on X, asserted that the TMC "has always been adept at milking tragedies", and was being "disrespectful to the unfortunate victims of this tragedy".
The TMC alleged that BJP leaders have not shown "neither concern nor compassion" over the mishap.
"The loss of three lives in Taherpur should have united everyone in grief. But @BJP4India leaders showed neither concern nor compassion," it said in another post on X.
"At this painful moment, Smt @MamataOfficial and Shri @abhishekaitc put humanity above party lines and stood beside the families of the deceased," the party said.
TMC’s on-ground leaders promptly reached out to the grieving family members, ensuring them of help and assistance, it said.
"While Delhi’s rulers chase Bengal with arrogance, our leadership chose empathy. This is the difference between politics of power and politics of people!" the TMC added.
