Mysore/Mysuru: With the issue of naming of the Mysuru-Bengaluru Expressway coming to the forefront. Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha has reiterated his earlier opinion that the Expressway be named as ‘Cauvery Expressway’. The Highway is scheduled to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi by February end.
Speaking to Star of Mysore this morning, the MP said that he has already proposed the name of Nalwadi Wadiyar to the Mysore Airport which will grow into an international Airport in a few years.
Simha was reacting to the reports about former Chief Minister S.M. Krishna, Chamarajanagar MP V. Sreenivasa Prasad and MLCs Madhu Madegowda and Dinesh Gooligowda writing to Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari to name the Highway as ‘Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar Expressway’.
“I suggested the name ‘Cauvery Expressway’ as the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) already has the name of Nalwadi Wadiyar. I had also got one Mysuru-Bengaluru Express train named after Wadiyar. Also, the Expressways constructed or under construction in the country are named after sacred rivers — like the Yamuna Expressway and the Ganga Expressway in Uttar Pradesh and Narmada Expressway in Madhya Pradesh — as rivers have shaped history, culture, traditions and faith in our country weaving their way across the country giving life, hope and salvation all at once,” Simha added.
Pratap Simha told Star of Mysore that he too had written to Nitin Gadkari in this regard.
“The benefits of this Expressway are multi-dimensional with economic growth, social inclusion and empowerment and environmental conservation. River Cauvery, taking birth in Kodagu, Karnataka, too has boosted the economic growth of the region and it will continue to do so for all generations to come. Therefore, I strongly feel that naming the Highway as ‘Cauvery Expressway’ will be more appropriate,” he said.
Anyway, apart from KRS and Airport, a train connecting Mysuru-Bengaluru has already been named ‘Wodeyar Express’ in recognition of the contribution of Wadiyars to the development of the region, he said. Why then the same name “Wadiyar for this Expressway connecting Mysuru-Bengaluru?, he reasoned.
This post was published on January 8, 2023 8:13 pm