• PM Modi launches development projects worth over ₹15,600 crore in Bengaluru.
• Bengaluru Metro network crosses the 100-km milestone.
• New Vande Bharat service to connect Karnataka with Goa.
• LPG, fuel distribution and compressed biogas projects to strengthen energy infrastructure.

GG News Bureau
Bengaluru, 13th Nov: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated, dedicated to the nation, laid the foundation stone for and flagged off development projects worth more than ₹15,600 crore in Bengaluru, Karnataka, covering urban transport, rail connectivity and energy infrastructure.

Addressing the gathering, Modi said improved infrastructure and connectivity create opportunities for employment, industry and economic growth. He said the projects would strengthen Karnataka’s development journey and support the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

A major highlight was the inauguration of the Bengaluru Metro Pink Line. The Prime Minister said the new corridor would improve access to educational institutions, including IIM Bengaluru, as well as major business and technology hubs, reducing travel time and costs for commuters.

Modi noted that Bengaluru’s Namma Metro network had expanded from 17 km in 2014 to more than 100 km, making it the third city in the country after Delhi-NCR and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region to cross the milestone.

On rail connectivity, the Prime Minister highlighted the launch of a new Vande Bharat train connecting Karnataka with Goa. He also referred to the state’s first Vande Bharat Sleeper train, recently received, and the development of Amrit Bharat stations. Four Amrit stations and two railway doubling and electrification projects were also among the initiatives highlighted.

The Prime Minister announced three energy-related projects in Karnataka: an LPG facility at Mangaluru with an additional storage capacity of 80,000 metric tonnes, the Devangonthi Marketing Terminal to improve the supply of petrol, diesel and aviation fuel, and a Bengaluru compressed biogas plant with a production capacity of 13 tonnes per day.

Highlighting the importance of energy security, Modi said India was expanding its renewable energy capacity, which had crossed 300 gigawatts. He also referred to the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, under which more than 60 lakh households nationwide, including over 40,000 in Karnataka, have installed rooftop solar systems with government assistance.

Under the PM-KUSUM scheme, he said, more than eight lakh solar pumps were being used to support irrigation in Karnataka, helping farmers reduce electricity costs and generate additional income.

The Prime Minister also highlighted measures aimed at increasing disposable income for middle-class families, including income tax relief for annual incomes up to ₹12 lakh, changes to tax deduction rules and GST reforms. He said these steps were intended to strengthen household savings and purchasing power.

Modi concluded by saying that the projects would accelerate Karnataka’s development and strengthen Bengaluru’s position as a major technology and economic centre.