Police prepare for three-day visit from Oct. 24; PMO to confirm dates

Mysuru: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Mysuru on Oct. 24 to inaugurate the world’s first tilted LED dome Planetarium, being built at Sri Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Centre for Higher Learning of the University of Mysore (UoM), at the foot of Chamundi Hill.

The Cosmology Education and Research Training Centre (COSMOS) is a state-of-the-art Planetarium, along with a data analysis training and resource centre for students and teachers. It is being developed under an MoU between the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) and the University of Mysore.

While official confirmation from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) is awaited, the District Administration and Police are preparing for a possible three-day visit from Oct. 24 to 26.

Senior Police officials said discussions regarding the visit are underway. However, the University of Mysore and IIA officials are awaiting final clearance and confirmation of the schedule from the PMO before finalising the itinerary.

Sources said work on the Planetarium is nearing completion. The facility, spread across three storeys on 3.5 acres, is being built at an estimated cost of Rs. 85 crore, funded through MPLAD funds provided by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, along with funds from the Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India.

IIA Director Prof. Annapurni Subramaniam is finalising the list of dignitaries expected to attend the inauguration and is in close contact with the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India.

University of Mysore Vice-Chancellor Prof. N.K. Lokanath told Star of Mysore: “We have not yet received confirmation from the PMO. The IIA Director is coordinating with the PMO.”

Construction began after Nirmala Sitharaman laid the foundation stone on March 6, 2022. The facility will feature a 15-metre Light Emitting Diode (LED) dome Planetarium tilted at 15 degrees.