Sonia announces upgradation of Tirupati Airport and Rly station

Tirupati, Sep 11 (UNI) UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi today announced that the airport of the temple town of Tirupati will be upgraded as an International airport and the Railway station would be modernised at a total cost of Rs 2,000 crore.

Addressing a gathering of nearly 2,00,000 people, members of Self Help Groups of the Chittoor district, Ms Gandhi announced that a 300-bed hospital for children would be set up besides the facilities of the Shri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences here improved.

The Centre and state governments were working to improve 17 temples in and around Tirupati, the Congress President added.

She said the airport here would be upgraded to International standard to cope with the increasing flow of pilgrims visiting Balaji and other temples from different parts of the world.

Ms Gandhi arrived at the Renigunta airport at 1055 hrs by a special aircraft from New Delhi.

She was received at the airport by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, APCC President D Srinivas, AICC General Secretary Veerappa Moily and other state ministers.

She will later launch ''Janasri'' Bima yojana at a public meeting in Reinigunta where nearly two lakh SHG women members from various Rayalaseema districts would assemble and also participate in Mahila Sadhikarika Sadas near here.

Ms Gandhi will proceed to Idupulapaya in Kadapa district where she will inaugurate Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technology (RGUKT) and unveil the statue of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Later, she will proceed to Anantapur district where she will address a public meeting.

UNI SH/KNR SV/ROY RP KN1319