PM Modi to inaugurate key Varanasi projects on Monday

Varanasi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay foundation of new projects and inaugurate other projects in his parliamentary constituency, Varanasi, through video conferencing on Monday.

The Prime Minister's event, scheduled to take place at 10.30 a.m., will be hosted at six places in the district while Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will join it from Lucknow.

According to Divisional Commissioner Deepak Agrawal, "The PMO has approved inauguration of 19 ready projects of Rs 230 crore while foundation of 17 new projects of Rs 465 crore will be laid by the Prime Minister."

"The district administration had sent lists of some more ready and new projects to the PMO, but many of them were excluded from the final list in view of the model code of conduct enforced due to the MLC (teachers' constituency) election," said the official.

"The virtual inauguration and foundation-laying ceremony will be hosted on six big LED screens to be installed at Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Trade Facilitation Centre, Circuit house, commissioner auditorium, Dashaswamedh Ghat, Shoolttankeshwar and the airport," the commissioner added.

One state minister and MLA of concerned area will remain present at each of the six sites.

Among the projects is the Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport of Varanasi which will have two more passenger boarding bridges (PPB), commonly known as aero-bridge.

An airport spokesman said that currently 2 PBBs exist at the airport while after inauguration of two more, the total numbers of PBBs will become four. This will help in accommodating four flights at a time for boarding or alighting the passengers.

These two new PBBs have been installed with a total cost of Rs 9 crore. The installation of new PBBs will enhance safety of passengers apart from reducing the walking distance for them.