‘Mysuru needs better connectivity to boost tourism’

BJP workers felicitate MP Prathap Simha on his re-election in Mysuru, on Tuesday. BJP state secretary M Rajendra, city (district) president Dr B H Manjunath and Srivathsa are seen.

MP Prathap Simha who was re-elected for a second term said that Mysuru needs better connectivity to boost tourism in the district.

Addressing a thanksgiving press meet here on Tuesday, Simha said that politicians need to do very little to develop tourism in Mysuru and attract tourists to the city. “The work executed by the Wadiyar royal family of erstwhile Mysuru state is enough to attract tourists to the region. Mysuru has something for every tourist. There are palaces, museums, zoo, temples and forests. Tourists need better connectivity and basic amenities. I have been striving for the past five years to improve road, rail and air connectivity. Over the next five years, most will be completed,” he said.

He said as an MP of the Mysuru-Kodagu region, he had got the 10-lane Mysuru-Bengaluru highway, four-lane Mysuru-Madikeri highway, six new trains connecting with various parts of the country, including Varanasi. “Mysuru airport is functional and more flights will operate soon. Work on the satellite railway station at Naganahalli has begun. Plans are afoot to get more trains to connect to Mumbai, Goa and Kerala. From the four trains a week now, the plan is to get daily trains to ply to Mangaluru,” he said.

On conserving the heritage city, Simha said: “It is a state subject. Yet I will get the proposals of the state cleared by the Centre.”

He said he had no ministerial aspirations and would work for the reason people had chosen him. “Compared to BJP senior leaders, my contribution to the party is minimal. People have voted for me so that I serve them as MP. To be in Parliament with Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in itself is a matter of honour. I don’t want anything more,” he added.

Speaking on the need for more Kendriya Vidyalayas(KVs), he said while Bengaluru had 19 KVs and Mysuru needed five. The second KV of the city would be opened on the premises of the Bharatiya Reserve Bank Note Mudran Private Limited shortly. “Land will be identified to open more KVs,” he said.

Simha said he had nothing personal against actor-turned-politician Prakash Raj. He said, he was a big fan of the actor and was proud of him. “Being a Kannadiga, he has made a mark in Tamil and Telugu movies. I know that defeat is painful. I might have verbally attacked Raj, because he used derogatory words against Modi. I have nothing against him personally. Let him prosper in acting,” he remarked.