Padayatra 2.0 begins from Ramanagar

Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT

The Mekedatu Padayatra 2.0 being undertaken by the Congress Party to press for construction of a balancing reservoir at Mekedatu in Kanakapura taluk of Ramanagar district, began from Ramanagar City on Sunday.

Congress General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka affairs, Randeep Singh Surjewala, flagged off the padayatra by beating the drum in the presence of thousands of party workers and leaders. Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah, KPCC President DK Shivakumar, Bengaluru Rural MP D.K. Suresh, former minister H.K.Patil and others were present at the resumption of the padayatra.

Due to the outbreak of the third wave of the pandemic, the padayatra was earlier supended at Ramanagar after covering around 100 km from Sangama.

A festive atmosphere prevailed in Ramanagar City with scores of workers storming the highway. The yatra will conclude at National College Grounds in Bengaluru on March 3 at 4 pm after moving through the main roads of the city for three days starting from March 1.

Before the inauguration, KPCC President D.K. Shivakumar offered special puja at Sri Chamundeshwari Temple and also visited a dargah. Later, the Congress leader visited the Kengal Hanumanthaiah Memorial and offered floral tribute.

The Congress leaders are taking out the padayatra despite being denied permission by the Ramanagar administration. But Lok Sabha MP D.K. Suresh asserted that they had already informed officials about the padayatra and so no permission was required. Lunch was organised at Maayaganahalli for the padayatris. On Sunday, the leaders will walk for 15 km upto Bidadi and then stay overnight.

Traffic on the busy Bengaluru-Mysuru National Highway was hit badly due to the padayatra. Vehicles from Bengaluru to Mysuru were allowed on the national highway whereas vehicles travelling in the opposite direction were allowed on the diverted route.

The district administration has deployed over 1,200 cops to provide security to the yatra.