CM to inaugurate Hampi Utsav today

BALLARI: The three-day cultural extravaganza ‘Hampi Utsav -2017’ will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah here on Friday evening.The Ballari district administration is busy giving final touches to the sets ahead of the mega event. In all, 405 programmes will be held on 11 stages, including two new ones, and artistes from the nook and corner of the country will perform. There will be sound and light, and laser shows, besides cultural programmes. The stages include Virupaksha temple (main stage), Hazara Rama temple, Krishna temple, Sasavekalu Ganapa and Kadalekalu Ganapa. All the stages put together will cost the government Rs 1.2 crore.

District Minister Santosh Lad said the number of events will be increased from last year’s 365 to 405 this year. The programmes will be held on nine stages. Several national and state award winning artistes will perform on all the three days of the utsav. The Kannada and Culture Department has extended Rs 8 crore for the utsav.

Special passes have been issued to VVIP vehicles, so that they will not face any security hurdles. As many as 60 CCTV cameras have been installed. The entire security is monitored by Superintendent of Police of Ballari, who is assisted by two additional SPs, 10 DySPs, 20 inspectors and 80 sub-inspectors. 160 assistant sub-inspectors, 300 head constables, hundreds of police personnel and 600 home guards.