Cabinet clears Rs 11.4cr Mandya road facelift for Obama visit

Bengaluru: A 7.5-km road cutting through a quiet hamlet on the outskirts of Mandya is all set for a Rs 11.4 crore makeover. The reason? Former US President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle are expected to use that stretch to attend a foundation-laying ceremony for an international yoga and meditation centre. In a striking example of how global spotlight can swiftly shuffle local infrastructure priorities, the Karnataka Cabinet Thursday approved a facelift for the worn-out road connecting SI Kodihalli Gate to Basaralu-Koppa Road, near Hallegere village, to be used by the Obamas and other guests, including Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, to attend the event promoted by Bhutayi Trust. While Mandya district in-charge minister N Chaluvarayaswamy said the "trust is yet to decide on a date", district officials pointed out that the event was originally planned for Dec 2023, but delays in infrastructure development and non-availability of the Obamas delayed it by nearly three years. Chaluvarayaswamy said the govt has met almost all requests made by the trust. "This 7.5-km stretch is crucial as it connects the event venue to the helipad and main road. While parts of the road were re-laid earlier at a cost of Rs 20 crore, this section remained pending. The state govt has now cleared funds for PWD to take up the work," he added.The Rs 80-crore meditation centre is being spearheaded by US-based doctor of Indian origin, Dr Lakshmi Narasimha Murthy, father of former US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, who had previously served as a medical adviser to Barack Obama.