Why in the News
The Prime Minister will visit Karnataka and Gujarat on 13-14 November 2026. In Bengaluru he will inaugurate, dedicate to the nation, lay the foundation stone of and flag off development projects worth over Rs 15,600 crore. The projects span urban mobility, power transmission, renewable energy, petroleum infrastructure, waste management and railways.
Bengaluru: Metro Pink Line and the S-VYASA Golden Jubilee
- Inauguration of Bengaluru Metro's Pink Line from Kalena Agrahara to Tavarekere - built at a cost of around Rs 3,470 crore; the Prime Minister will also undertake a metro ride from Tavarekere to IIM Bangalore station.
- Participation in the Golden Jubilee celebrations of 'Prashanti Kutiram', the residential headquarters campus of S-VYASA (Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana) - the institution was established in 1975 and was declared a Deemed-to-be University in 2002; the celebrations run from 13 to 23 November on the theme 'Towards Viksit Bharat 2047'.
- On the same occasion, foundation stone of the Golden Jubilee Administrative Block and launch of the S-VYASA Off-Campus at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala; the birth centenary of thinker and organiser H.V. Sheshadri (born 1926, Bengaluru) will also be commemorated.
Energy and Petroleum Infrastructure
- Inauguration of the Transmission Scheme for Integration of Renewable Energy Zones (Phase-II) in Koppal-II and Gadag-II - investment of around Rs 4,450 crore, facilitating evacuation of about 2 GW of renewable energy; and the Transmission Scheme for the Solar Energy Zone in Bidar - around Rs 1,370 crore, 2.5 GW of solar power (Bidar Pooling Station).
- Foundation stones: the transmission scheme for integration of the Davanagere/Chitradurga and Ballari Renewable Energy Zones (over Rs 3,450 crore) and the transmission strengthening project for additional renewable energy potential at Davanagere and Ballari (over Rs 1,100 crore).
- Dedication of India's largest underground LPG storage cavern in Mangaluru - 80,000 metric tonnes capacity, built at over Rs 850 crore; includes a 9.4 km LPG pipeline connecting New Mangalore Port to the main terminal.
- Dedication of MRPL's Devangonthi Marketing Terminal in Bengaluru - an investment of Rs 330 crore.
- Foundation stone of GAIL's Compressed Biogas plant at Haralakunte, Bengaluru - it will process about 300 tonnes of municipal solid waste daily to produce 12.6 tonnes of clean CBG.
Railways: Amrit Bharat Stations, Doubling, Electrification and Vande Bharat
- Inauguration of four redeveloped stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme - Chamarajanagar, Chikkamagaluru, Sakleshpur and Subrahmanya Road.
- Dedication of the 45 km Bagalkot-Wandal doubling section - part of the 284 km Gadag-Hotgi Doubling Project; it will ease coal supply to the Kudgi NTPC plant.
- Dedication of the electrification of the 55 km Sakleshpur-Subrahmanya Road Ghat section - with this, the entire Bengaluru-Mangaluru rail route is now fully electrified; it is one of India's most challenging railway terrains.
- Flagging off of the Bengaluru-Mangaluru-Madgaon Vande Bharat Express - running via Hassan, Sakleshpur, Mangaluru, Udupi, Murdeshwar, Gokarna and Karwar to Madgaon (Goa).
Mysuru: Bharat Vann and the COSMOS Planetarium
- Tree plantation at Bharat Vann under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' initiative - an urban afforestation project using the Japanese Miyawaki technique, targeting over 2 lakh native trees on 17.63 acres.
- Inauguration of the COSMOS-Mysuru Planetarium - built by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), it is India's first LED dome planetarium; located on the University of Mysore campus at the foothills of Chamundi Hills; it has a 15-metre tilted dome with about 6,150 panels and 4.2 crore individual LEDs; shows will be available in Kannada, English and Hindi.
Gujarat: Ambaji
- On 14 November the Prime Minister will perform Darshan and Pooja at the Ambaji temple in Banaskantha, Gujarat; the Ambaji temple is one of the 51 revered Shakti Peethas.
Distinctions for the Exam
Remember these facts separately: the total package of over Rs 15,600 crore; the Pink Line from Kalena Agrahara to Tavarekere (around Rs 3,470 crore); the Mangaluru cavern as India's largest underground LPG storage (80,000 metric tonnes); COSMOS-Mysuru as India's first LED dome planetarium (built by IIA); S-VYASA established in 1975 and a Deemed University since 2002; the four Amrit Bharat stations (Chamarajanagar, Chikkamagaluru, Sakleshpur, Subrahmanya Road); the fully electrified Bengaluru-Mangaluru rail route; and Ambaji as one of the 51 Shakti Peethas.
Prelims Practice Questions
Question 1: With reference to the Prime Minister's Karnataka visit (13 November 2026), consider the following statements:
I. Bengaluru Metro's Pink Line runs from Kalena Agrahara to Tavarekere and cost around Rs 3,470 crore.
II. The cavern dedicated in Mangaluru is the country's largest underground LPG storage, with a capacity of 80,000 metric tonnes.
III. COSMOS-Mysuru is a conventional projector-based planetarium.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) I and II only
(b) II and III only
(c) I and III only
(d) I, II and III
Answer and Explanation
Answer: (a)
- Statement I is correct: the Pink Line's Kalena Agrahara-Tavarekere stretch cost around Rs 3,470 crore.
- Statement II is correct: the 80,000 metric tonne Mangaluru cavern is the country's largest underground LPG storage.
- Statement III is incorrect: COSMOS-Mysuru is India's first LED dome planetarium; conventional planetariums use projectors, while its LED panels can be controlled in real time.
Question 2: Which of the following is NOT among the four redeveloped stations being inaugurated under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme on 13 November 2026?
(a) Chamarajanagar
(b) Chikkamagaluru
(c) Hubballi
(d) Subrahmanya Road
Answer and Explanation
Answer: (c)
The four redeveloped stations are Chamarajanagar, Chikkamagaluru, Sakleshpur and Subrahmanya Road; Hubballi is not among them.
Syllabus mapping:
Prelims: infrastructure and transport - urban mobility, railways, energy; institutions and initiatives (GS-III)
Related Study
Sources
- Prime Minister's Office: PM to visit Karnataka and Gujarat on 13-14 November, 11 November 2026
- DD News: projects worth over Rs 15,600 crore in Bengaluru, 11 November 2026
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