Big Day for Bangalore! PM Inaugurates 108-ft Kempegowda Statue; Flags Off South India’s First Vande Bharat Express

The colossal statue of Bengaluru's founder architect Kempegowda has also made it to the  Guinness book of world records.

The BJP's Karnataka unit tweeted a video of PM Modi unveiling the statue. Basavaraj Bommai, the Chief Minister of Karnataka, was seen standing next to him. Kempegowda is widely regarded as Bengaluru's "founding father." The city has now set a new record with the unveiling of his statue.

What’s special about Kempegowda’s statue

The 220-tonne bronze statue which includes a sword weighing approximately four tonnes also known as the Statue of Prosperity has been installed at the Kempegowda International Airport outside Bengaluru. The bronze mammoth statue was erected in a 23-acre area on the grounds of the airport that has been turned into a Kempegowda heritage park. The massive statue cost more than Rs 80 crore. The Guinness Book of World Records has given this statue place in it because it’s the first and tallest statue of the city's founder. The statue stands in the 18th position in India's tallest statue list.

The announcement was made on the Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s Twitter handle on Wednesday, November 9. In his tweet, he said, “It is a matter of pride for us that Bengaluru builder Nadaprabhu Kempegowda's "Statue of Prosperity" is the first and tallest bronze statue according to the World Book of Records. This 108 feet statue represents Kempegowda's visionary (city of) Bengaluru (sic).”

Modi also inaugurated 'Terminal in Garden'

Before the unveiling of Bengaluru's newest attraction, PM Narendra Modi gifted the city with one of its kind terminal in a garden. He inaugurated the T-2 of the international airport known as the #Garden Terminal. The new design resembles a garden, with lush greenery greeting passengers. Passengers will have to walk through a park with trees hanging from the ceiling, which has cost the government 5000 crores Rupees. Passengers at T2 can see the expansive indoor garden, which spans more than 10,000 square meters and can accommodate 25 million passengers per annum.

An airport official told the media that T-2 has been built on 4 guiding principles- “Terminal in a Garden', sustainability, technology & innovation, and art & culture of Karnataka.”

Modi flags off south India's first Vande Bharat train

Apart from Terminal 2 and the Kempegowda statue, PM Narendra Modi also gifted passengers with south India's first Vande Bharat train which will connect  Bengaluru, Mysuru, and Chennai.

PM Modi while addressing also told “Connectivity will play a crucial role in India's development. Creating air connectivity & new airports is the need of the hour. The new terminal at Bengaluru airport will increase facilities. To achieve the growth, we need to develop physical & social infrastructure”.